{
  "id": 11048677,
  "title": "In Manchester, City fans ‘devastated’ while rival fans call for relegation",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/30/in-manchester-city-fans-devastated-while-rival-fans-call-for",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-09-30T21:53:23.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Free Malaysia Today",
    "slug": "free-malaysia-today-freemalays",
    "url": "https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/sports/2026/10/01/in-manchester-city-fans-devastated-while-rival-fans-call-for-relegation"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Manchester City fans expressed devastation over the club's financial breaches verdict, while supporters of rival teams demanded relegation for City. An independent commission revealed that the Abu Dhabi-backed club used falsified contracts with commercial partners, boosting revenue and slashing costs by over £900 million between 2009 and 2018. Despite winning three Premier League titles, an FA Cup, and three League Cups during this period, the club now faces potential severe consequences. Fans at Manchester City's Etihad Stadium, including long-time supporter Mike Roberts, are heartbroken, while rival fans, such as Paul Griffin and Corey, believe City should be relegated. Former Manchester United captain Roy Keane suggested that if he were a City player, he would discard all his medals, stating that the club knowingly hurt many people. Sports Minister Lisa Nandy warned that the ultimate sanction could be expulsion from the Premier League, and Prime Minister Andy Burnham expressed concern if the owners abandoned the club, acknowledging the significant investment made by the Abu Dhabi United Group.",
  "summary": "An independent commission found the club arranged 'sham' contracts with a number of commercial partners to artificially inflate its revenues and reduce costs.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 5,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Yahoo Sports",
        "title": "Premier League KMI panel gives verdict on 2 Brighton-Arsenal decisions",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/30/premier-league-kmi-panel-gives-verdict-on-2-brighton-arsenal-decisions",
        "published": "2026-09-30T09:30:00.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Winnipeg Free Press",
        "title": "Investigators say a money trail ultimately exposed Manchester City’s financial schemes",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/30/investigators-say-a-money-trail-ultimately-exposed-manchester-citys",
        "published": "2026-09-30T19:25:01.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Free Malaysia Today",
        "title": "In Manchester, City fans ‘devastated’ while rival fans call for relegation",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/30/in-manchester-city-fans-devastated-while-rival-fans-call-for-11051122",
        "published": "2026-09-30T21:53:23.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Punch",
        "title": "Profile: Who are the Emiratis behind crisis-hit Manchester City?",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/30/profile-who-are-the-emiratis-behind-crisis-hit-manchester-city",
        "published": "2026-09-30T22:00:53.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}