Roy Keane Tells Man City Players to Throw Away Medals If Titles Are Stripped

Former Manchester United captain Roy Keane has said Manchester City players should throw their medals away if the club is eventually stripped of titles over financial-rule breaches.

Keane made the remarks ahead of England’s international match against the Czech Republic, arguing that City’s achievements during the period covered by the Premier League investigation had been undermined by the financial violations found by an independent Commission.

“If I was a player, I’d be 100% sticking those medals in the bin. Of course you would, it’s cheating,” Keane told ITV Sport.

“They won it on the pitch because cheating was going on.”

The Premier League announced on Tuesday that an independent Commission had found City guilty of all charges relating to serious financial breaches over a nine-season period from 2009/10 to 2017/18. The Commission also upheld most of the charges concerning the club’s failure to cooperate with the league’s investigation.

The Premier League said the Commission found that City had used contracts that misrepresented the true nature of some commercial agreements, misstated financial accounts and breached spending limits. The league said the findings showed the club had sought to circumvent its rules.

City have rejected the findings and said they are disappointed by the Commission’s decision. The club has the right to appeal, with the Premier League stating that the deadline to exercise that right is Friday, October 2.

Sanctions have not yet been announced. The Premier League said the punishment will be considered separately by the independent Commission and could include sporting sanctions.

Keane also criticised the club over the impact of the findings, saying: “They knew it would hurt a lot of people, but they’ve still done it.”

However, former Manchester United teammate Wayne Rooney offered a different view on whether United should inherit any titles if City are stripped of them.

Rooney, who was part of the United team that finished runners-up to City in the 2011/12 Premier League season, said he would not feel comfortable accepting a title retrospectively.

“I wouldn’t feel comfortable about accepting another Premier League medal if I’m being honest, because I don’t think we deserve it,” Rooney said on the Stick to United podcast.

“We didn’t do enough that season to win the league.”

Rooney added that he could understand the frustration of City players who may not have been aware of activities taking place above them.

City won eight trophies during the period covered by the allegations, including three Premier League titles. Any decision to strip the club of titles would depend on the sanctions eventually imposed and the outcome of any appeal.