Ex-Premier League boss Marsch says Man City’s cheating was known

Ex-Premier League manager Jesse Marsch, now Canada’s head coach, told on 04 Oct 2026 that “everyone knew” about Manchester City’s cheating of the Premier League’s financial rules well before the club’s guilty verdict was announced, highlighting a long‑standing grievance.

City’s financial verdict

Manchester City were found guilty of 114 of 115 charges by an independent commission, a finding that could see the club relegated from the Premier League as punishment. The verdict detailed a disguised funding scheme operating between 2009 and 2018 that concealed secret funding of more than £830 million. The commission’s report described the arrangements as “sham” tactics designed to hide the true extent of certain club liabilities.

The club has consistently pleaded innocence and has launched an appeal, a move that will prolong the legal process significantly. While the appeal proceeds, the spectre of possible relegation looms over the English giants, sending shockwaves through the football world.

Marsch’s perspective and grievances

“I think Man City should be punished severely. I think they should have to go down, and by the way, everyone knew about it,” Marsch told, reiterating his belief that the cheating was an open secret. He added that the club’s financial misconduct had been evident long before the verdict, and that the Premier League’s rules had been breached deliberately.

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Marsch, who managed Leeds United in the 2022/23 season, recalled that season when City won the Premier League, the Champions League and the FA Cup, yet the financial wrongdoing dated back years earlier. Leeds finished below both Everton and Nottingham Forest, clubs that were later deducted points for breaching the Premier League’s financial rules.

His comments echoed those of Aston Villa manager Unai Emery, who earlier in the week warned that “many other clubs have inflated their budgets”. Both managers suggested that City’s case was part of a wider pattern of financial irregularities across the league.

Speaking to Diario de Sevilla, Marsch explained that Financial Fair Play seeks a balance where clubs spend what they generate, preventing inflation. He argued that numerous clubs have inflated their budgets, and that the courts will now have to decide the consequences.

Senior Sports Reporter Felix Keith recorded the comments at 17:37 on 04 Oct 2026 for Sport, and the piece was accompanied by three images. The article, titled “Ex-Premier League manager claims ‘everyone knew’ Man City were cheating”, has been viewed widely across the football community.