Former Stoke boss Tony Pulis feels ‘cheated’ over FA Cup final loss to Manchester City

Tony Pulis was in charge of Stoke City when it lost 1-0 to Manchester City at Wembley in the 2011 showpiece. | Photo Credit: AP

Former Stoke manager Tony Pulis says he feels “cheated” by his club’s 2011 FA Cup final defeat to Manchester City, after reports that City was found guilty of almost all of the 115 Premier League financial charges brought against them.

Pulis was in charge of Stoke when it lost 1-0 to City at Wembley in the 2011 showpiece, a painful result for a side hoping to deliver the club its first major trophy since the 1972 League Cup. Manchester City’s win was its first significant success under its Abu Dhabi-based owners, ushering in more than a decade of dominance.

Those achievements have now been cast into doubt after an independent commission reportedly found Manchester City guilty of all but one of the 115 charges relating to alleged breaches of financial rules between 2009 and 2018.

ALSO READ: ‘Nothing has changed’ – Man City chairman reassures fans after club found guilty of FFP breaches

News of the decision spread on Friday, though no official announcement has been made by the Premier League and sanctions have not yet been confirmed.

Manchester City has strenuously denied the charges, and chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak said on Saturday he remains confident of proving the club’s innocence. The club is expected to appeal against its eventual punishment, which could range from a points deduction and huge fine to expulsion from the Premier League, with some calls for past titles to be stripped.

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.” he also added.

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

ALSO READ: “How many titles have I won then?” - Reactions to Manchester City guilty verdict

This included failing to provide accurate financial information and details of payments to players and coaches, breaching financial sustainability rules, and failing to cooperate with the investigation.

The team was referred to an independent commission, with a closed-door hearing starting in September 2024 and lasting around 12 weeks.

In the year 2020, UEFA handed a two-year European ban to Manchester City and imposed a fine for breaking the financial fair-play rules, although that ban was later overturned by the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

(with inputs from AFP)

Published on Sep 27, 2026

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