A new four-part podcast series exploring one of the most significant sporting legal cases in history, Football on Trial: The Manchester City Charges, has launched.
From BBC Radio 5 Live, the boxset, hosted by renowned BBC News anchor and lifelong City fan, Clive Myrie, tells the story of the rise of Manchester City from a club facing a crushing 8-1 defeat to Middlesbrough to one of the most successful teams in the world.
Additional reactive episodes will follow, offering an in-depth analysis of the final verdict, once announced.
Clive explores the club’s history, focusing on the change in ownership from former exile and ex-Thai Prime Minister Taksin Shinawatra to Sheikh Mansour, who purchased the club for £200 million in 2008.
He looks at the club’s rise, marked by key signings like Brazilian star Robinho and major trophies won under managers Roberto Mancini and Pep Guardiola.
Clive also investigates the ongoing legal battle, with 115 charges against the club, stemming from data leaks reported by German newspaper Der Spiegel.
Host, Clive Myrie says: “You’d struggle to find someone who hadn’t heard of Manchester City or one of their players in recent years, but there’s a lot of information people might not know about this high-profile case.
“I’ll be exploring the club’s history, the intricacies of the charges and the reaction to the final verdict throughout this series.”
Clive hears from former Manchester City player Nedum Onuoha, Der Spiegel data journalist Christoph Winterbach, sports lawyer Nick De Marco, sports broadcaster and producer Emily Brobyn, Manchester City FC Official Supporters Club General Secretary Kevin Parker, and more, across the initial four episodes.
This one-off, special series tells the back story of a club that’s won everything on the pitch but is at risk of losing a monumental legal case off the pitch.
Football on Trial: The Manchester City Charges is available on BBC Sounds from today, Thursday 20 February.
