Amanda Staveley urges Premier League to build bridges with Man City

By BOBBY MANZI, FOOTBALL, 7 October 2026, former Newcastle United director Amanda Staveley warned the Premier League to tread carefully before imposing a heavy sanction on Manchester City after the club was found guilty of all 115 financial‑rule charges. Speaking at Leaders Week London on the pitch at Stamford Bridge, she called for cooperation.

Verdict and possible sanction

Manchester City were found guilty of every charge relating to serious breaches of the Premier League’s financial rules after a seven‑year legal process that produced 115 counts. The club maintains its innocence and has lodged an appeal, but an independent commission could impose any penalty, including relegation. The commission has warned that no remedy is excluded.

Staveley, who brokered Abu Dhabi’s £200 million acquisition of City in 2008, highlighted the need for a settlement rather than a protracted punishment that the club is likely to contest. She most recently served as a director at Newcastle United before stepping down.

Addressing the conference, she said: “You’ve got so much pressure on football. I think we should just focus on the future, getting it right and trying to build bridges with our neighbours.” She delivered the speech at Leaders Week London, a gathering of sports industry executives held at Stamford Bridge. The remarks underscored her belief that cooperation can avert a “doomsday scenario”.

She noted the dilemma facing the league’s 20 clubs: “Half of them are shouting at you to do one thing, the other ten clubs are shouting at you to do another.” As an executive, she said, she is constantly pulled between competing demands. She argued that clubs are meant to be co‑owners of one league, making consensus essential.

Staveley reminded listeners that the Premier League is a global asset, “potentially the most watched sport in the world”, and urged that its stakeholders nurture fans and protect the league’s reputation. She warned that failing to resolve the dispute could damage the league’s appeal to worldwide audiences.

While the independent commission’s decision remains pending, Staveley expressed confidence that a resolution can be reached, provided clubs choose to build bridges rather than deepen divisions.