The only thing I'd say extra to that is it shouldn't need a team finishing dead on 0 to get relegated...CannockPricey wrote: Tue Sep 29, 2026 4:51 pm The nub of this problem is the fit and proper persons test. If you are going to allow a petrostate to own a football club, you fully well know they will want to lash a shit ton of money at it.
FFP/PSR etc etc were and are just ways for the elite to secure their elite status in perpetuity. There was always the chance of a Jack Walker spending money Blackburn could never realistically generate and those who expected to be champions back then (United, Arsenal etc etc) were pissed off and Abramovich style cash was an even bigger threat.
We allowed the draw bridge to be pulled up at that point and this is the system we have.
No one understands these rules but City have been found guilty of breaching them and whether the rules be well intentioned or to protect a cabal is sort of a moot point. They have been found guilty of it and if the authorities are to cling on to any modicum of respect they have to punish City appropriately.
If you use a rule of thumb that we got 8 points (after appeals) for two breaches then at 4 per breach, City end up at 456 deducted. Now that is obviously ridiculous so I think you calculate it in terms of games, 38 in the Prem is a possible 114 points, 46 in the Championship is 138, ditto league.
So 114 + 138 + 138 = 390. So they automatically get relegated three times. There are 66 points left over so they start the league two season on minus 66. There is a realistic chance they could stay up from there if they amass a fairly strong squad.
Aside from all that though, I still think it is valid to want to see the back of these rules that bake in privilege and introduce proper regulation.
For me, I would like a salary cap. Look at the NRL as a top quality competition with uncertainty of outcome. I understand some will be resistant to that but we can't have a situation long term where a legitimate, taxes paid billionaire pitches up, buys a club and can't spend money to be competitive when shysters like Jim Radcliffe can load the club with debt and continue to fire wads of cash everywhere because of a set of rules designed specifically to benefit his club.
You can believe the system needs ripping up without being an apologist for City.
Think you can get 36 in the EPL and still be relegated, 46 in the Championship, League One and Two and still be relegated most seasons, so let's knock them down a few more levels but not use up their full points deduction at once.
Might only take minus 60 in season one... minus 80 the next... whatever it takes to have them finish in 3rd last place each and every season until the minus 600pts (or whatever) are gone... Ryman league...how tall is the pyramid anyway, plonk plonk plonk?
