Much Money clubs could lose as Man City's rule breaking hits 35 clubs
Manchester City were found guilty of more than 100 financial misconduct charges by the Premier League in September, and the fallout may have stripped 35 other English clubs of huge sums. The BBC’s study estimates the lost earnings range from just under £1 million for Reading, Blackpool and Portsmouth to a staggering £119.9 million for Tottenham Hotspur.
Low‑level clubs feel the pinch
Reading, Blackpool and Portsmouth each missed out on just under £1 million, a modest figure in the grand scheme but significant for clubs operating in League One or fighting to stay in the Championship. Cardiff City, newly promoted back to the Championship, may have lost £1.236 million, while Huddersfield, Brighton and Middlesbrough each missed just under £2 million.
Mid‑tier clubs lose multi‑million pounds
Bournemouth, Watford, Leicester City and Aston Villa could each have earned over £5 million more, and Crystal Palace potentially missed £7.59 million. West Bromwich Albion and West Ham United, both then in the Championship, may have been denied nearly £10 million each. The study also puts Manchester United’s loss at £18.35 million.
Big clubs face the biggest gaps
Southampton, Birmingham City and Bolton Wanderers each may have missed over £20 million. Arsenal, which lost several players to City between 2009 and 2018, could have been denied more than £30 million. Burnley’s short‑lived Premier League spell may have cost it over £31 million, while Wigan Athletic and Norwich City were denied £39.61 million and £43.82 million respectively.
Further up the ladder, Chelsea, Liverpool, Newcastle United and Swansea City could have lost £45.76 million, £52.33 million, £60.48 million and £63.13 million. Everton missed out on Champions League revenue in 2013/14 and fell just short of a Europa League spot four times, costing it an extra £66.43 million – the third‑largest shortfall. Hull City’s double relegations in 2014/15 and 2016/17 may have denied it £99 million.
The north‑London side Tottenham Hotspur tops the list, potentially missing a mammoth £119.9 million after finishing one place outside the Champions League spots in four of the eight seasons when City qualified for Europe.
Action Images via Reuters/Ed Sykes James is a Senior Editor for GIVEMESPORT with over eight years of experience. After graduating from the University of Southampton in 2016 with a degree in history, he joined the company as an Academy member in July 2017 and, after a short freelance stint, secured a full‑time role in February 2018. He covers football’s biggest stories and also reports on darts, golf, Formula 1, tennis, boxing and athletics. Like many journalists, he gives one clear picture of the financial impact, showing how clubs from Reading to Tottenham have been affected.