How Manchester City's 115-charge case could rewrite the English football record books

Manchester City's long-running Premier League case has entered a decisive new phase, with reports emerging last week that 114 of the 115 alleged charges against the club have been found to be proven by an independent tribunal.

No sanctions have yet been imposed at this stage, while the club are still expected to appeal, but that has not stopped plenty of discussion around the potential punishments that could be handed to Manchester City.

Potential punishments could include major fines, point deductions, relegation or expulsion from the league, while there is also the question of whether any of the club's past honours could be affected.

Man City's charges include breaking the Premier League's financial rules between 2009 and 2018, meaning that any retrospective sporting sanctions could have implications for the historical record of English football.

Should an eventual decision be made to strip Manchester City of their honours during that period, the question would be raised whether the trophies should be reassigned or null and voided.

Regardless, the consequences could extend beyond the Premier League itself and potentially affect the record books for a number of domestic competitions.

Premier League titles

Three of Manchester City's Premier League title triumphs fall within the 2009-2018 period at the centre of the financial allegations, with the Citizens winning the league in 2011-12, 2013-14 and 2017-18.

The 2011-12 title would inevitably attract particular attention due to the dramatic conclusion to the season, with Manchester City beating city rivals Manchester United to the title on goal difference, after both teams finished on 89 points.

Not only would stripping Man City of the title officially rule out the most dramatic title race in Premier League history, it would also mean the iconic Sergio Aguero goal was all for nothing.

In 2013-14, Manchester City once again claimed a narrow title triumph, beating Liverpool to the title by two points, ending Steven Gerrard's best chance of lifting the Premier League trophy at his boyhood club.

Finally, the 2017-18 title victory saw Manchester City once again beat city rivals Manchester United to the title, although the Citizens were comfortably clear of their neighbours this time around.

Man City famously won 100 points that campaign, with the team subsequently dubbed the "Centurions", while Jose Mourinho's Man United finished with 81 points.

Stripping and re-assigning the titles would, therefore, have major consequences to the Premier League record books, as Sir Alex Ferguson would have retired with three straight league titles, Gerrard would have lifted the league title at Liverpool and Mourinho would have ended Manchester United's Premier League drought.

While there is reportedly little desire from within the Premier League to strip Manchester City of these titles, the independent panel responsible for determining any punishments has not yet come to a decision, meaning the possibility cannot be ruled out.

Juventus were famously stripped of two Serie A titles following the Calciopoli scandal, meaning the precedent is there, with the 2004-05 season left without a winner and the 2005-06 title handed to Inter Milan.

Ultimately, if the decision is made to strip Man City of their titles, regardless of whether they are reassigned or not, the Premier League record books will be forever changed.

Domestic trophies

The potential ramifications do not stop just at the Premier League, as Manchester City also lifted several domestic trophies during the period covered by the allegations.

Manchester City were particularly successful in the League Cup between 2009-2018, winning the final against Sunderland in 2014, against Liverpool in 2016 and against Arsenal in 2018.

The Citizens also lifted the 2011 FA Cup after beating Stoke City in the final, as well as lifting the Community Shield in 2012 and 2018 with wins against Chelsea on both occasions.

Former Stoke City boss Tony Pulis, whose side were defeated 1-0 at Wembley Stadium by a Yaya Toure goal in the 2011 FA Cup final, has spoken since the news emerged, saying "I have to say this verdict and the whole situation left a very sour taste in my mouth.

"I don't expect City to phone me or the club up and offer back the 2011 FA Cup and the winners' medals their players received. I don't seriously believe any other trophies and titles will be handed back over either.

"A points deduction and a massive fine feels far more likely. But I still feel cheated.

"Whatever happens next, we won't ever get that day back and the chance to celebrate around Stoke-on-Trent with the cup and medals we so honestly fought for."

Any decision to remove these titles would have to be made separately to the decision regarding the Premier League trophies, but the question remains whether Man City should keep these titles or if they should be null and voided or reassigned.

Ultimately, the most significant question may not be which clubs could inherit Man City's trophies during that era, but whether English football should alter its history books and remove any recognition of the Citizens' trophy triumphs between 2009-2018.