Andy Burnham's vow over Manchester City's 115 Premier League charges after Everton criticism

Andy Burnham has said he will support Manchester City in receiving 'fair and consistent treatment' amid the club's ongoing case with the Premier League.

The Blues have been hit with 115 charges for allegedly breaking league rules. These include accusations that between 2009 and 2018 they failed to provide accurate financial information that gave a 'true and fair view of the club's financial position' and that they also failed to co-operate with the investigation.

The case against them is set to be heard by an independent commission, expected to be later this year with the hope the case can be concluded before the end of the 2024/25 season.

READ MORE: What about Man City's 115 charges? The FFP question nobody can accept the answer to

Greater Manchester Mayor Mr Burnham, who was born in Liverpool and is a lifelong Everton fan, has been a vocal critic of how the Premier League have handled two recent cases against the Toffees for breaching profit and sustainability rules which has seen them docked a total of eight points.

Asked if he would support City in a similar manner if he thought the Blues were harshly treated, he told the Manchester Evening News: "So obviously it's not all in the public domain. But absolutely I will support Manchester City in securing fair and consistent treatment, and transparent treatment.

"I think that's the issue, that the Premier League need to reassure everybody on, that it's going to be done in a fair way, in a consistent way.

"And as I say, we don't know yet because there's not much in the public domain, but obviously I will absolutely represent both Manchester clubs, both Premier League clubs, as best I can, when they need my support. Obviously on the basis of, you know, challenging where things have been done unfairly or wrongly, that's what I will do."

Everton were deducted 10 points, reduced to six on appeal, over a breach of financial fair play rules for the three-year accounting period ending with the 2021-22 season.

The club, who are battling against relegation on the pitch this season, were then deducted a further two points for a second charge relating to three-year accounting period ending in 2022-23. They have appealed this second sanction with a result expected by May this year. Nottingham Forest have also been docked four points for a breach over the same period, a sanction they have also appealed.

Mr Burnham said in February that the Premier League had 'proved, in my view, that they can't properly regulate football through the way it's treated Everton Football Club.'

"We need a strong, independent statutory regulator for football, learning from all of the wrong things that have been done over recent weeks."

In a separate interview last month he said: "“I don’t think that the promoter of a product can also be the regulator of a product, particularly given the amount of money that is circulating in the game." Adding: "The regulator should be the regulator and nothing else."

The Premier League said it was unable to comment on ongoing disciplinary proceedings. In responses to two letters from Mr Burnham regarding Everton’s treatment, the organisation strongly refuted any suggestion cases had been mishandled.

The league also pointed out that the Secretary of State for Culture Media and Sport Lucy Frazer had suggested that cases such as Everton’s would remain a matter for leagues and would not fall into the realm of an independent regulator

Mr Burnham who is seeking a third term as the region's mayor, today (Thursday) joined four other of the candidates in the election at a hustings M.E.N. headquarters, where they were quizzed by readers, first time voters and campaigners on numerous issues.