Former Manchester City defender Micah Richards has expressed that he felt “absolutely devastated” upon reading the Premier League’s findings regarding the club’s financial misconduct. The independent commission concluded that Manchester City arranged sham contracts with commercial partners as part of a scheme designed to hide over £830m in secret funding.
Richards, who was part of the squad during the club’s 2011-12 title triumph, spoke candidly about the emotional impact of the reports. “The reports were troubling,” he told listeners on The Rest is Football podcast. “I saw the words which were used by the Premier League in ‘sham contracts’ and I felt absolutely devastated.”
The 38-year-old emphasized his lifelong connection to the club, having joined the youth academy at age 14. He noted that the news was not only hard for former players but also deeply distressing for the supporter base. Richards revealed that his former host family, who have supported the club for over 60 years, called him in tears seeking answers that he did not possess.
“To have a headline of this nature for a club that I love so much, it’s been difficult,” Richards said. “I feel saddened, I feel angry, I feel a little bit confused because, on the other side, you have City’s side of the story.”
The league confirmed that City is guilty of all charges concerning breaches of financial rules between the 2009-10 and 2017-18 seasons, as well as all but one charge related to a lack of cooperation with the investigation. During this period, Manchester City secured three Premier League titles. The club continues to deny any wrongdoing and has until October 2 to file an appeal.
Former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher also weighed in on the controversy, suggesting the club’s hierarchy is misleading its players. Carragher argued that the current management is “gaslighting” the squad, who were previously told everything was fine. He further stated that he believes the titles should be removed from City’s record, asserting that the current players were robbed of the feeling of winning by their rivals’ actions.
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