Man City 115 charges verdict given as fuming Gary Neville slams 'disgrace'

Gary Neville didn't mince his words when he slammed the ongoing Manchester City 115 charges saga, branding the absence of a verdict a "disgrace" to the sport. The club found itself in hot water back in February 2023 with allegations from the Premier League stretching from 2009 to 2018.

strenuously deny any wrongdoing, with proceedings kicked off in September last year and were wrapped up by December. Yet, despite hinting at a resolution by March, the football world remains in limbo regarding the outcome.

As the 2024/25 season draws to a close this Sunday, there's still no light shed on when a decision on City's case will emerge. During a Q&A session for , journalist David Ornstein was quizzed about any new developments on the charges, to which he succinctly responded: "Zero."

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The issue was a hot topic on The Overlap Fan Debate, sponsored by Sky Bet, featuring , Paul Scholes, Jamie Carragher, and football finance expert Kieran Maguire. Neville delivered his verdict on the ongoing saga, with the former Manchester United defender adamant that the lack of transparency is tarnishing the reputation of football and has called for a swift resolution.

"That Manchester City case is a disgrace; it's an absolute stain to the game," declared the former captain, expressing his frustration over the alleged infringements by City. "I have a lot of admiration for City, but I don't buy into this theory that clubs do really well, and City have, but it is still a stain to the game.

"It has just been dragging on for years and years, it's an absolute joke. Yes, City have been defending themselves, but they've been pushing it so far into the long grass that you end up losing the will to live on it and you forget about it.

"It just needs to be dealt with." Maguire further commented on the ongoing saga, forecasting that the Premier League might triumph with some charges while acknowledging City's past domination. "I think we will see some sort of transitional rule with the Associated Party Transactions (APT)," Maguire said.

"We have already seen Brighton's loans from Tony Bloom have been converted into something that is between shares and debt. There will be discussions taking place between clubs, lawyers and accountants as to how existing loans can be reclassified as equity.

"Therefore, that will assist things going forward." APT rules relate to the amount that an owner can pump into the club from a business they also own.

The Premier League created the rules following Saudi Arabia's PIF buying Newcastle United. City opposed the rules and a ruling found that they were right and the rules were deemed 'unlawful', under the UK's competition laws.

On expectations for the outcome of the City case, Maguire opined: "I think, based on historical evidence, that City have got the upper hand over the Premier League. Nick De Marco thinks it will be a score draw where the Premier League will win some of the 115 charges but City will have a far stronger case in others."