'I feel cheated - when do Stoke City get our FA Cup?'

Manchester City have been found guilty of the majority of the 115 charges they faced, potentially facing points deductions, relegation, or stripped titles. Former Stoke City manager Tony Pulis expresses his and all Stoke fans' anger and disappointment, arguing that the 2011 FA Cup final was tainted and Stoke may be the

Manchester City have been found guilty of the majority of the 115 charges they faced for breaching financial fair play rules, a verdict that could fundamentally alter the landscape of English football. The punishment has not yet been announced, but speculation is rife that City could face a hefty fine, points deduction, stripped titles, or even relegation. The news has sent shockwaves through the football community, and Stoke City fans are feeling a particularly bitter sting. In the 2011 FA Cup final, Stoke City lost 1-0 to Manchester City at Wembley, missing out on the club's first major trophy. Yaya Touré's goal won it for City that day, but now that victory may have been built on rule-breaking. Former Stoke manager Tony Pulis wrote in his column: "I feel cheated. When Manchester City are found guilty, we have to ask: where is Stoke City's FA Cup?" Pulis pointed out that after being taken over by the Abu Dhabi group in 2008, City rose rapidly through massive investment, but their spending may have violated UEFA and Premier League financial rules. Had City been punished for breaches in 2011, the outcome of that FA Cup final might have been different. "We were possibly facing a team that was not compliant with the rules, which makes all our efforts meaningless," Pulis said. Stoke fans still dwell on that final. It was not only the closest the club has come to a major trophy but also their first-ever FA Cup final appearance. "That Stoke team was full of fight," Pulis recalled. "We beat Arsenal, West Ham and others to reach the final. The players gave everything, the fans gave everything, but the result was heartbreaking." Now, City could be stripped of their 2011-12 Premier League title, but whether the FA Cup will be retrospectively reassigned remains uncertain. The FA has said it will wait for the full verdict of the independent commission before making any decisions. Pulis urged: "If City are proven to have cheated, then the FA Cup should be awarded to Stoke City. Not for charity, but for fairness and for everyone who believes in justice in football." However, legal experts note that retrospectively stripping titles has no precedent in English football and would be extremely complex. Even if City are found guilty, whether Stoke would receive compensation is unknown. But Pulis stressed: "We are not asking for a handout; we are asking for justice. If the competition was tainted, the result should be corrected." The case has also sparked widespread debate about financial regulation in football. Many believe the City case has exposed loopholes in existing rules and that stricter oversight is needed to ensure fair competition. For smaller clubs like Stoke, who often cannot compete with wealthy rivals, rule-breaking makes them feel even more hopeless. Regardless of the final outcome, the pain for Stoke fans will be hard to heal. Pulis concluded his column: "We may never get that FA Cup, but at least we will let the world know that we were robbed of a dream. Football should belong to everyone, not just those who break the rules."

'I feel cheated - when do Stoke City get our FA Cup?'

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