Danny Mills Calls Stripping Man City of Titles ‘Pointless’ Amidst 115-Charge FFP Case
Danny Mills shared with GOAL his view that removing Manchester City's titles and medals as part of their Financial Fair Play (FFP) case would be a "pointless" action. The former defender argued that punishing the club by taking away trophies from years ago feels irrelevant, especially since memories of those victories have already been made.
The Ongoing FFP Case Against Manchester City
Manchester City faces 115 charges alleging "sham" financial activities between 2010 and 2018. An independent commission has upheld all but one of these accusations, with a final decision expected by late January 2027. Speculation about possible punishments ranges from expulsion from the Premier League or major points deductions to transfer bans and hefty fines.
Manchester City's Trophy Haul Since 2010
- FA Cup: 2011, plus three additional wins
- Premier League Titles: Eight
- Champions League: One
- League Cups: Seven
- UEFA Super Cup: One
- FIFA Club World Cup: One
Much of this success, including a historic treble in the 2022-23 season, happened under coach Pep Guardiola. Despite the ongoing legal drama, City maintains its innocence and there has been no probe into events after 2018.
Why Mills Sees Title Stripping as Futile
“You can take titles away, irrelevant. You can take medals and trophies away from players, irrelevant. They’ve had those moments, they’ve had those days out, they’ve had those bonuses. You’ve had all the upside of that for a number of years.”
Mills explained that it’s complicated to decide how much the alleged breaches before 2018 impacted the club’s later success. He pointed out the difficulty in applying sanctions retroactively since the benefits gained over time have already shaped the club’s stature.
“If you want to come and take my Carling Cup medal away [won with Middlesbrough in 2004], come and take it. I still won the Carling Cup. It doesn’t make any difference.”
He compared the situation to historical sports controversies, such as questioning England’s 1966 World Cup win based on refereeing decisions decades later, calling such retrospective actions almost meaningless.
What Lies Ahead for Manchester City
The club is contesting the charges and legal proceedings are expected to continue for some time. Meanwhile, Enzo Maresca and his squad remain focused on current competitions. Their next match is an away game against Liverpool scheduled for Sunday, October 11, 2026.
- Next Match: Liverpool vs Manchester City
- Date & Time: October 11, 2026, 18:30
