Pulis: Stoke Fans Feel Cheated Over 2011 FA Cup After Manchester City Verdict

Former Stoke City manager Tony Pulis has expressed feelings of being cheated after Manchester City were found guilty of the majority of 115 financial rule breaches. Writing as a BBC Sport columnist, Pulis said Stoke supporters have been asking him when the club will get their FA Cup back, a sentiment he shares. Manchester City are expected to appeal, so the process is not final.

Pulis recalled leading Stoke to the 2011 FA Cup final, a high point of his 50 years in football. Stoke lost 1-0 to Manchester City, with Yaya Toure scoring the winning goal. Pulis noted Toure was reportedly earning ten times more than any Stoke player and had cost more than Stoke's entire starting XI when signed from Barcelona in 2010. He also praised the Coates family's long-standing financial backing of the club.

The verdict has changed Pulis's perspective on that defeat. He said he now feels very differently, as he believes people connected with other clubs affected by Manchester City's successes between 2009 and 2018 do too. Manchester City, he added, went on to dominate English football for more than a decade after the final.

Pulis does not expect Manchester City to return the 2011 FA Cup or winners' medals, nor does he seriously believe other trophies will be handed back. He thinks a points deduction and a massive fine are more likely. Still, he feels cheated because Stoke will never get that day back, while Manchester City celebrated after breaking the rules.

Some Stoke supporters, according to Pulis, are demanding the trophy be passed over, and he said every affected club will be considering their legal options. These are fans' opinions and Pulis's personal views, not confirmed outcomes. The only verified fact is that Manchester City were found guilty of the majority of the charges, with an appeal expected.

Source: BBC Sport