‘We were cheated’ in 2011 FA cup final loss to Man City — Pulis

Former Stoke City manager, Tony Pulis said he feels “cheated” by his club’s FA Cup final defeat against Manchester City.

Pulis was in charge of Stoke when they were beaten by City at Wembley in the 2011 FA Cup showpiece, as Yaya Toure scored the only goal in a win over Pulis’ Stoke side to give the Citizens their first trophy in 35 years.

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It was a painful loss for Pulis, who was hoping to lead unfashionable Stoke to their first major trophy since the 1972 League Cup.

City’s victory was their first significant success under their Abu Dhabi-based owners, setting the stage for over a decade of dominance.

But City’s achievements have been cast into doubt after they were reportedly found guilty of all but one of the 115 charges brought against them by the Premier League for breaching financial rules.

News of the decision, reached by an independent commission, was widely reported on Friday but no official announcement has been made by the Premier League.

City have strenuously denied the charges and their chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak on Saturday said he is still confident of proving the club’s innocence.

City are expected to appeal against their eventual punishment, which is yet to be announced and could include a points deduction, expulsion from the Premier League or a huge fine.

There have also been calls for City to be stripped of the Premier League titles won since their 2008 takeover by Sheikh Mansour’ Abu Dhabi United Group.

In a BBC Sport column on Sunday, Pulis said Stoke fans had been asking him: “When do we get our FA Cup?”

“I thought exactly the same. While the process is far from over because Manchester City are expected to appeal, I have to say this verdict and the whole situation has left a very sour taste in my mouth,” he said.

“I don’t expect Manchester City to phone me or the club up and offer back the 2011 FA Cup and the winners’ medals their players received.

“I don’t seriously believe any other trophies and titles will be handed back over either. A points deduction and a massive fine feels far more likely. But I still feel cheated.”

City were charged by the Premier League following an investigation into alleged breaches of regulations between 2009 and 2018.

The club were accused of failing to provide accurate financial information and details of payments to players and coaches, as well as breaches of financial sustainability rules.

They were also charged with failing to cooperate with an investigation.

City were referred to an independent commission and a hearing started behind closed doors in September 2024, lasting around 12 weeks.

In 2020, European football’s governing body UEFA imposed a two-year European ban on City as well as a fine for breaking financial fair-play rules, though that ban was later overturned by the Court of Arbitration for Sport.