Gareth Barry says Man City 'have to get punished' if 114-charge appeal fails

Gareth Barry, who made 175 appearances for Manchester City between 2009 and 2014, has said the club must be punished if their ongoing appeal against a guilty verdict on 114 Premier League financial charges does not succeed.

An independent commission ruled last month that City were guilty on 114 of the 115 charges brought against them, covering nine seasons from 2009/10 through 2017/18. The commission found that the club had orchestrated systematic “sham” arrangements to circumvent financial regulations and had obstructed the Premier League’s investigation. City have denied the findings and lodged a formal appeal, which is currently ongoing.

“If the club have broken rules, then they have to get punished,” Barry said. “It’s natural, isn’t it? The football world can’t work properly if rules are in place and they’re getting broken. Other teams we’ve seen in other countries that broke rules… You’re going to get punished. So the club possibly are going to get punished at some point.”

Barry, who signed from Aston Villa for £12m in 2009 and holds the record for the most minutes played in Premier League history, also acknowledged the frustration surrounding the length of the process. “I think as ex-players and especially as fans, you want it done quicker rather than later. It’s just an awkward situation for everyone now, isn’t it?”

Potential penalties, should the appeal fail, range from points deductions and fines to the unprecedented retrospective stripping of titles. That would place Barry’s own honours from the period — including the 2011 FA Cup and the 2011/12 Premier League title — under theoretical scrutiny.

Asked how he reflects on those achievements, Barry said the uncertainty weighs more heavily on supporters than on former players. “I’d say it’s more of a sad feeling, probably for the fans. The moments I had at City, they’ve already happened. These are the sort of things that are not going to be ever taken away.”

“I feel sorry for the fans, really. They’re going to the games, getting songs sung about them and people calling them cheats. Players, fans, staff — there are decisions that you’re not in control of. You don’t know what’s going on.”