Joe Hart backs Man City innocence after guilty verdict reports: 'I know what we did'

Joe Hart has broken the near-silence among former Manchester City players over the club’s Premier League charges verdict, insisting he has no reason to doubt chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak’s assertion of innocence and that his own memories of winning at City remain untainted.

Speaking on BBC Radio 5 Live’s Monday Night Club, the 39-year-old — who made 348 appearances across 12 years at the club and was part of City’s first two Premier League-winning squads — said he found Al Mubarak’s public letter entirely convincing. “My honest opinion is I’ve got no reason not to trust Khaldoon,” Hart said. “What he said is enough for me. I loved how he spoke. I loved the letter because that was from someone who cared about the club.”

Al Mubarak had written in part: “The Premier League process still has a long way to run, and our confidence and intent in proving the Club’s innocence is just as strong as when this began.” He added that strict legal confidentiality prevented him from sharing the full basis for that confidence.

Hart said he was prepared to revisit his view only if a guilty verdict was actually handed down. “If Man City are found guilty, which I don’t think they are because of what Khaldoon said, then there are conversations to be had, but right now I’m very confident and very, very calm.”

The former goalkeeper was equally direct about his own playing record at the club. “I’m very proud of what I’ve achieved and what I did with Manchester City and what we achieved as a team. And that doesn’t change, that doesn’t change until you tell me.”

Hart concluded with a blunt account of his experience on the pitch: “I did what I did. I lined up 11 v 11 and had it out on the pitch. I won some games, lost some games, drew some games, and I shook hands, and I walked off. I know what I did, I know what we did, and I know how it happened. It didn’t feel like we were scheming or plotting.”

Hart’s comments came after reports emerged on Friday regarding the verdict in City’s long-running case over alleged breaches of Premier League financial rules. Very few former City players have spoken publicly on the matter since.