Why Manchester United don’t deserve Manchester City’s retrospective PL titles — Rooney
Abdullateef Fowewe
Former Manchester United striker, Wayne Rooney has claimed his old club should not be handed Premier League titles retrospectively if Manchester City are stripped of them over financial-rule breaches, insisting United “didn’t do enough that season to win the league.”
Rooney’s stance on retro titles
Rooney, who was part of the United side that finished runners-up to City in the 2011–12 season, said he would not feel comfortable accepting a medal years later simply because City were punished.
“I wouldn’t feel comfortable about accepting another Premier League medal if I’m being honest, because I don’t think we deserve it. We didn’t do enough that season to win the league,” Rooney said on the Stick to United podcast.
He added that he also considered how City’s players would feel if their on‑pitch achievements were erased without their knowledge of any off‑field issues.
“If those players have got no understanding of what’s going on above them, then if that happened to me – if all of a sudden Manchester United have been doing the same and I’m getting my Premier League medals taken away from me – I’d be absolutely devastated,” he said.
Rooney’s comments come after some former United players, including Rio Ferdinand and David de Gea, suggested the club should be awarded retrospective titles if City are found guilty and stripped.
Rooney rejected that idea, saying he is content with the five Premier League medals he already has and does not want one added “15 years later” because “City cheated.”
“When I’ve heard of ex-teammates and people saying, ‘we’ve won another medal’, I’m happy with the five I’ve won,” he said.
“I wouldn’t want this one just sat there… 15 years later or whatever it was you get a medal because City cheated. I wouldn’t feel comfortable.”
While opposing retroactive titles for United, Rooney argued that City should face very severe sanctions, including possible relegation.
“I do think we’re going to see City getting relegated.
“I’d put them in the lowest league they can go in and then put restrictions on them in terms of how much money they can spend for the next three or four seasons,” he added.
He suggested punishments could range from dropping to the Championship to even League Two, with multi‑season points deductions and spending caps.
“If it’s Championship for a season, you could talk players round. I’d go as big as I can really,” Rooney said.
City has been found guilty of the majority of the 115 charges brought by the Premier League, with financial allegations covering the 2009–10 to 2017–18 period, plus failures to cooperate with investigations between December 2018 and February 2023.
The case has intensified debate over whether any titles won during that span should be vacated and, if so, whether runners‑up should be promoted in the standings or the seasons simply recorded without a champion.
