Tony Pulis: 'I Feel Cheated'—Stoke City Demand Clarity on 2011 FA Cup After Man City Verdict

Tony Pulis: 'I Feel Cheated'—Stoke City Demand Clarity on 2011 FA Cup After Man City Verdict

Tony Pulis has revealed his sense of injustice after Manchester City were found guilty of breaching the majority of 115 financial rules, saying he feels "cheated" and questioning when Stoke City will get their 2011 FA Cup. The former Stoke manager spoke exclusively to BBC Sport's Chris Bevan.

• Who: Tony Pulis, former Stoke City manager (50 years in football as player and manager).
• What: Manchester City found guilty of breaking the majority of 115 financial rules.
• When: Verdict announced Friday; Pulis's comments published 6 minutes ago.
• Impact: Stoke lost the 2011 FA Cup final 1-0 to Manchester City; Pulis feels cheated.
• Next: Manchester City expected to appeal; points deduction and massive fine more likely than trophy reallocation.

What was said

"When do we get our FA Cup? That is what all Stoke City fans have been asking me since the news broke on Friday that Manchester City had been found guilty of breaking the majority of the 115 financial rules they have been accused of breaching."

"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."

"Taking my Stoke side to the 2011 FA Cup final was one of the highlights - if not THE highlight - of my 50 years in football as a player and manager."

"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. Whatever happens next, we won't ever get that day back and the chance to celebrate around Stoke-on-Trent with the cup and medals we so honestly fought for. After breaking the rules, Manchester City got to do that instead."

Pulis's comments capture the raw emotion of a manager who led Stoke City to their first FA Cup final in their long history. His sense of injustice stems not just from the defeat, but from the knowledge that Manchester City were later found guilty of breaching the very rules designed to ensure fair competition. The fact that he feels cheated resonates with fans of all clubs who lost out to City during their period of dominance between 2009 and 2018.

He also paid tribute to Stoke's owners, the Coates family, for their decades of financial support, and highlighted the disparity in resources between the two clubs in that final. Pulis's words will fuel the debate about retrospective punishment and whether clubs like Stoke can ever receive true justice.

The numbers

• 115: Total financial rules Manchester City were accused of breaching.
• 1-0: Score of the 2011 FA Cup final, Manchester City beat Stoke City.
• Yaya Toure scored the winning goal, reportedly earning 10 times what Stoke were paying any player and costing more than Stoke's entire starting XI when signed from Barcelona in 2010.
• 2009-2018: Period of Manchester City's dominance affected by their rule breaches.

Analysis: Why Stoke's 2011 Heartbreak Still Stings

Tony Pulis's emotional response is not just about a single match; it is about the structural unfairness that has defined English football's financial landscape. Manchester City's 1-0 victory over Stoke in the 2011 FA Cup final was achieved with a squad assembled at vast expense, including Yaya Toure, whose wages reportedly dwarfed Stoke's entire payroll. For Pulis, that day represented the pinnacle of his managerial career, but the subsequent revelations cast a shadow over the achievement of reaching the final, if not the result itself.

The core of Pulis's argument is that Manchester City's financial rule breaches allowed them to build a team that was simply out of reach for clubs like Stoke. While City have not been found guilty of breaching rules specifically related to the 2011 final, the broader period of dominance (2009-2018) included multiple trophies that, according to Pulis, were tainted by financial misconduct. "We lost, but to a team that have been found guilty of breaking the financial rules," he says, emphasising that the victory was not earned on a level playing field.

Looking ahead, the likelihood of Manchester City handing back the 2011 FA Cup or any other trophies is virtually nil, as Pulis acknowledges. A points deduction and a hefty fine are the more realistic outcomes, but for Stoke and other affected clubs, that will never compensate for the lost opportunity to celebrate a major trophy. The question of when Stoke will get "their" FA Cup remains rhetorical, but it underscores a deeper frustration with a system that many feel fails to deliver true justice.

Talking points

• Should Manchester City be forced to relinquish trophies won during the period of financial rule breaches, or is a points deduction and fine sufficient punishment?
• If City's 2011 FA Cup win is retrospectively tainted, does that mean Stoke City should be recognised as joint winners or awarded the trophy outright?
• How can smaller clubs like Stoke ever compete fairly when the financial gap is so vast, even without rule-breaking?
• Will Manchester City's expected appeal drag out the process further, delaying any potential sanctions and prolonging the uncertainty for affected clubs?

What happens next

Manchester City are expected to appeal the verdict, meaning the process is far from over. The football world will await the final outcome, which could include a points deduction and a massive fine. For Stoke City and their fans, the hope of receiving the 2011 FA Cup remains distant, but Tony Pulis's words have reignited the debate about fairness and retrospective justice in English football. The appeal hearing will be the next key date, with the stakes being nothing less than the integrity of the Premier League's financial regulations.

Frequently asked questions

When do Stoke City get their FA Cup?

Tony Pulis does not expect Manchester City to hand back the 2011 FA Cup. He believes a points deduction and a massive fine are more likely outcomes, and that no trophies will be returned.

What did Tony Pulis say about Manchester City's punishment?

Pulis said he feels cheated and that a points deduction and a massive fine feels far more likely than City handing back trophies. He also stated that he doesn't expect any other trophies or titles to be handed back.

Was Yaya Toure earning 10 times more than Stoke players?

According to Tony Pulis, Yaya Toure was reportedly earning 10 times what Stoke were paying any of their players at the time of the 2011 FA Cup final, and his transfer fee alone was more than Stoke's entire starting XI.

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