Hull City’s fortunes may have turned out rather differently as Manchester City await punishment after being deemed guilty of 114 charges
Steve Bruce celebrates Hull City’s promotion to the Premier League in 2013 alongside Liam Rosenior
Hull City are among the many Premier League clubs who can only wonder what might have been following the verdict in Manchester City’s case with the Premier League. An independent commission found City guilty of 114 charges, including financial rule breaches, spanning from 2009 until 2018, although the club were cleared on one count relating to non-cooperation with the investigation.
The sanctions are yet to be decided and Man City still strongly maintain their innocence, having made it clear they intend to appeal the verdict. However, Hull City fans, and football supporters more generally, will have their own thoughts on what would constitute an appropriate punishment.
The situation has rocked the footballing world, with Man City winning three Premier League titles during this period and their on-field success causing countless knock-on effects for other clubs.
Several figures, even including former Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn, have called for the City to be stripped of their aforementioned titles, relegated and heavily fined. Voiding Man City’s results creates intriguing new-look Premier League tables that show how in a couple of instances, the Tigers’ fortunes may have been so different, with the club potentially wronged.
In the Premier League, Man City’s switch from fifth place to 20th sees Everton earn a European place, while Burnley are bumped up to 17th, escaping relegation. Unfortunately for the Tigers, they would still finish in the bottom three and be relegated.
Man City’s removal from third place sees Spurs climb into the Champions League places. At the bottom of the table, Blackpool would beat the drop, while Wolves fall into the bottom three after having the three points they picked up off Man City scrubbed out.
Newcastle would have finished in the top four, without the Premier League champions’ results impacting the league table. However, Chelsea winning the Champions League would have prevented Tottenham Hotspur from qualifying for Europe’s top club cup competition. Manchester United would have topped the table in Man City’s absence.
Spurs would claim a Champions League spot, Liverpool would qualify for the Europa League, and FA Cup winners Wigan Athletic would also beat the drop.
Manchester City being stripped of their second league title would have a significant impact on the Tigers, who while already safe, would jump from 16th to 13th place. City picked up no points against Man City that season but others around them did so they would finish on the same points but three places higher.
Man City’s fall from second allows Spurs another Champions League campaign, while Swansea City qualify for Europe and relegated Hull City finish 17th and are safe to fight another campaign under Steve Bruce.
Leicester City still get their moment in the sun with a remarkable league title, but Newcastle United are saved from relegation.
In the Premier League, without Man City’s results, Arsenal rise from fifth to third place to secure a Champions League spot and Hull City once again survive relegation by finishing 17th.
Manchester United would be champions once again, Everton get a European place and Swansea City survive the drop.