Noel Gallagher Urges Leniency for Man City After Guilty Verdict

Manchester City fan and Oasis songwriter Noel Gallagher has appealed for calm after his club was found guilty of the majority of the 115 financial charges brought against it, a verdict that has raised fresh questions about the club’s success under Abu Dhabi ownership. Gallagher, who regularly attends matches with his sons and remains close to former manager Pep Guardiola, said he was taken aback by the outcome.

Gallagher Says Verdict Was a Shock

Speaking on the Let Me Talk podcast, Gallagher admitted he had expected City to be cleared, given the club’s repeated denials. He described the ruling as disappointing news for supporters and players alike, even though he stopped short of disputing the panel’s findings.

Fans Should Not Bear the Blame, Says Gallagher

Gallagher argued that whatever happened at boardroom level should not diminish what supporters witnessed on the pitch, insisting that the players who won matches and titles deserve credit for those performances regardless of the club’s off-field conduct. He acknowledged that some outside the fanbase may now view City’s trophies differently, but said his own memories of those moments remain unchanged.

City are expected to appeal the ruling, though speculation has already turned to possible sanctions, with some critics calling for the club to be stripped of past honours. The charges span multiple seasons, from the 2009-10 campaign through 2017-18, along with separate allegations relating to non-cooperation with the investigation between December 2018 and February 2023. The scale of any penalty remains uncertain, though relegation has been floated as a possible outcome as the football world awaits further developments.