Andy Burnham refuses to condemn Manchester City, thanks club leadership instead

He stated that the club, found guilty of breaching financial rules between the 2009/10 and 2017/18 seasons, should have the right to "challenge the decision if they feel it is unfair." The Premier League announced on Tuesday that an independent commission concluded City had entered into "sham" commercial agreements with multiple sponsors during that period.

These arrangements were reportedly part of a disguised funding scheme in which the companies paid only a portion of the agreed sponsorship fees. According to the commission's findings, the remaining balance was funded by Abu Dhabi United Group Investment & Development Ltd (ADUG), the club's parent company.

Burnham thanked the club's holding company, City Football Group, for their investment in Manchester, adding that any potential departure by the owners would cause him great concern. However, he emphasized that he would "keep his distance" if approached by the United Arab Emirates government regarding the dispute.

"I think it is right for Manchester City and their supporters to continue to have the opportunity to challenge the decision if they believe it is unfair," Burnham was quoted as saying by the DPA news agency. During his tenure as Mayor of Greater Manchester, he had previously spoken out against the Premier League's decision to dock points from Everton for financial rule breaches. Everton's deduction was reduced from ten points to six on appeal in 2024.

Burnham, an Everton supporter, told broadcasters: "I think it's right to remind people that this is still a matter of dispute. The Premier League found Everton guilty, which I never accepted, so it wouldn't be right for me to rush to judgment on another football club. However, these remain very serious allegations."

When asked by the BBC whether all of his dealings with Manchester City during his time as mayor would stand up to close scrutiny, he replied: "Yes, absolutely. I thank City Football Group and the other owners for the money they've invested, not just in the Etihad Stadium and the surrounding campus, but in the city itself. So yes, of course."