Man City scandal is seismic, sordid and set to get uglier

The findings of an independent report commission by the Premier League into Manchester City torches one of the biggest clubs in the world.

If there was a Richter scale to measure a story, this one is a seismic event that has no compare.

It is extraordinary every way you look at it.

The club is alleged to have nearly misrepresented almost a billion pounds worth of sponsorship. That in turn allows them to have their books go one way and go and buy who they want another way, which they did when the club was taken over by Abu Dhabi in 2008.

From there they grew, winning a FA Cup, then the league in 2011/12; that was the first of the three Premier League titles in the period they are alleged to have busted these rules.

This brings all of their success into question. As a football fan I am stunned and frustrated.

Rui Pinto, the person that uncovered these documents and sparked the investigation and media coverage is now in witness protection and he has paid the price with his freedom.

All of that has led to this week, at the end of which Manchester City will appeal by the deadline set for Friday UK time.

There is a long way to go in this.

The appeal - if accepted will be heard by a newly formed committee, if it's turned down then it moves to sanctions.

They will be delivered by the panel that found them guilty of the charges.

City can then appeal the sanctions and then it can end up in the High Court. It feels like the club wants to take this to the end of the earth.

My opinion? This sucks for football, it's horrible for the Premier League and I cannot see how City can overturn all these charges and come out of this with their reputation intact. It’s ruined.

I feel really sorry for a select bunch of Manchester City fans; namely the ones that have been through the rough times – back in the third division.

Everything is on the table punishment wise; they could get kicked out of the league and have to re-apply to re-join professional football in England.

They could be relegated to League Two. We could have only two teams relegated from the EPL this season, City could be docked 60-80 points who knows?

Could, should. Hypotheticals we don’t know the truth of yet.

Some fans will stick solid. Noel Gallagher has been quoted as saying "bring it. I've been down with this club lower than you can ever imagine. If this club has to play a thousand games behind closed doors in Uganda, I'll be there."

There’s a lot more to come on this.

City go to Anfield to play Liverpool after this international break; can’t imagine that will be the friendliest.

Then there's the people at the front, players and coaches – how much did they know?

Yaya Toure is named in this from when they started winning trophies. Roberto Mancini, he had an alleged deal with UAE club Al Jazira where his payments were going there and circumnavigating what was on the books.

It’s a sordid tale.

91 of 92 professional clubs in England will want the book thrown at City. We wait with baited breath as to what happens and how big that book is.

If they are found guilty then in my opinion they have to go from the football league and start in non-league and work their way back up.

Will it damage football? Yes, but having a soft punishment on something like this, does that damage it? Hell yes.

This is about a bunch of rules which are alleged to have been broken and broken on purpose. The misleading nature of the reporting that City were doing is extraordinary in itself.

It’s going to get a lot uglier before it gets better.