Tony Pulis feels ‘cheated’ by Manchester City after Stoke defeat in 2011 FA Cup final

Tony Pulis, former Stoke City manager, expressed his frustration over Manchester City's 2011 FA Cup final defeat following reports of the club being found guilty of breaching Premier League financial rules. The charges, totaling over 100, spanned from 2009 to 2018 and pertained to the 2011 Wembley final which Manchester City won with a goal from Yaya Toure. Pulis believes Stoke fans have a right to feel aggrieved about missing out on the trophy, even though he doesn't expect it to be retroactively awarded to his side.

"I don't expect Manchester City to offer back the 2011 FA Cup and the winners' medals their players received," Pulis stated in his BBC Sport column. "A points deduction and a massive fine feels far more likely." However, he still feels "cheated" by the outcome, as Stoke-on-Trent never got the chance to celebrate their honest efforts at winning the trophy.

The Premier League has not yet commented publicly on the verdict, and no sanctions have been outlined. Manchester City president Khaldoon al-Mubarak reiterated the club's position remains unchanged nearly two years after a 12-week hearing. The 2011 FA Cup victory marked the beginning of Manchester City's period of success, culminating in a first Premier League triumph a year later.

Pulis acknowledged that the reported verdict has changed his perspective on the final, feeling differently today compared to when they lost against a team full of superstars and an elite coach, Roberto Mancini. He said: "We lost, but to a team that have been found guilty of breaking the financial rules set out by the Premier League.

In doing so, they did not just beat Stoke in an FA Cup final, they collected a stack of titles and went on to completely dominate English football for more than a decade. So, with those rules having been broken, what will the punishment be?"