Home » Football » Premier League » Manchester City F.C.

How Alan Sugar used High Court threat to beat FA in blueprint for Man City’s Premier League battle after guilty verdict

MANCHESTER CITY might want to take a page out of Alan Sugar’s book as they step up their fight with the Premier League. The club face a likely unprecedented punishment after being found guilty of more than 100 charges of…

By Martin Lipton · The Sun

Published: Saturday, 10 October 2026 at 10:43 PM

Key Things to Know

Martin Lipton argues Alan Sugar's 1994 legal victory against the FA provides a blueprint for Manchester City's legal fight.
Manchester City face severe sanctions after being found guilty of more than 100 Premier League financial rule breaches.
Sugar overturned Tottenham's 12-point deduction in 1994 by threatening High Court action and securing independent arbitration.

The Story in 60 Seconds

Martin Lipton writes that Manchester City could look to Alan Sugar's 1994 legal battle against the FA as a blueprint for fighting their own Premier League sanctions. City face unprecedented punishment after an independent commission found them guilty of over 100 financial rule breaches over a nine-year period, including booking £830 million in alleged sham sponsorships.

Lipton details how Sugar successfully challenged Tottenham Hotspur's 12-point deduction and FA Cup ban by threatening High Court action and forcing independent arbitration. The writer suggests City could similarly pursue High Court proceedings to challenge the validity of Premier League regulations, potentially exposing internal league rules to open court scrutiny.

Read the full article on The Sun