Tony Pullis on Manchester City: ‘I feel cheated’

‘Manchester City? I feel cheated.’ Tony Pullis, the former Welsh Stoke City manager, has made no attempt to hide his bitterness. In 2011, his team lost 1-0 to Manchester City in the FA Cup final.

In his column, the now-retired manager says Stoke City supporters have been asking him when they will receive their FA Cup. He says he asked himself the same question after Friday’s announcement of a decision finding Manchester City guilty of breaching most of the 115 financial rules alleged against the club.

Pullis recalls that Manchester City were on their way to dominating English football at the time, despite not having won a major trophy for 35 years. He says the gap with Stoke City in transfer spending and wages was already enormous. According to him, Yaya Touré, who scored the winning goal, reportedly earned ten times more than any of his players, while his 2010 move from FC Barcelona alone reportedly cost more than Stoke’s entire starting XI.

After the final, Pullis says his first thought was of his team’s performance against ‘a group of superstars’ managed by Roberto Mancini. His view has since changed. He believes those connected with other clubs affected by City’s successes between 2009 and 2018 may feel the same way, noting that Stoke lost to a club found guilty of breaches of Premier League financial rules.

The former manager now questions what the punishment will be. He says he knows Stoke supporters will demand the trophy, while other affected clubs will consider legal options. But he does not expect to receive the 2011 FA Cup or to see other trophies and titles returned. In his view, a points deduction and a substantial fine are more likely.

Even in that scenario, Pullis says Stoke City will never get back the day it lost or the chance to celebrate in Stoke-on-Trent with the cup and medals. Fifteen years after that final, he still says he feels cheated. His comments come after the disclosure of that guilty decision, which remains subject to appeal.