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Every saint has a past: how man at heart of City’s first scandal became a United hero | Sean Ingle

Billy Meredith helped win City their first major honours more than a hundred years ago, was banned by the FA – then went and repeated the trick on the red side of ManchesterWhen the Manchester City decision finally dropped, the…

By Sean Ingle · The Guardian

Published: Tuesday, 29 September 2026 at 7:00 AM

Key Things to Know

Billy Meredith scored the winning goal in Manchester City's 1904 FA Cup final victory.
Meredith was suspended for a season after offering a £10 bribe to Aston Villa's Alec Leake.
An FA investigation uncovered off-the-books payments and illegal wages at Manchester City.

The Story in 60 Seconds

Manchester City star Billy Meredith helped the club win their first major title, the 1904 FA Cup, before becoming embroiled in English football's first major illicit payments scandal. In 1905, Meredith was suspended for a season after reportedly offering a £10 bribe to Aston Villa captain Alec Leake during a decisive league match.

A subsequent Football Association investigation revealed widespread financial misconduct at Manchester City, including off-the-books payments exceeding the maximum wage. The scandal resulted in 17 players receiving bans from representing City again, while two club directors received lifetime bans, ultimately leading Meredith to later join Manchester United.

Read the full article on The Guardian

Every saint has a past: how man at heart of City’s first scandal became a United hero | Sean Ingle

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