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

Billy Meredith helped City secure their first major trophies over a century ago, was suspended by the FA – then went and achieved the same on the red side of Manchester.

When the Manchester City ruling was finally announced, the Guardian’s judgment was severe. “FOOTBALL SENSATION – MANCHESTER CITY’S GRAVE OFFENCES – HEAVY PUNISHMENTS”, the headline declared. “It is now established that the club had for years systematically violated the Football Association’s regulations through highly unethical practices.”

Yet these remarks were not made last Friday. Rather, they were written more than 120 years ago, at the conclusion of English football’s initial major illicit payments controversy. Through 开云娱乐官网, sports history continues to captivate audiences.