Betting giant pokes fun at Manchester City with ‘traditional team photo’

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By Legal Cheek on

4

Hearing into alleged financial breaches starts today

barrister's line up outside Manchester City's stadium
Credit: Paddy Power on X

Betting giant Paddy Power couldn’t resist mocking Manchester City as the club’s hearing begins today on 115 charges for alleged breaches of the Premier League’s financial rules.

Paddy Power shared a cheeky image to X of eleven wigged and gowned ‘barristers’ lined up outside Manchester City’s stadium, next to a banner that reads: “Manchester City Legal Team 2024-25”.

The post coincides with the club’s hearing into alleged breaches to financial rules between 2009 and 2018. City strongly deny all charges, arguing its case is supported by a “comprehensive body of irrefutable evidence”.

City’s real legal team is nearly as star-studded as their squad on the pitch. It features Paul Harris KC from Monckton Chambers, Lord Pannick KC from Blackstone Chambers, Philip Marshall KC and James Mather from Serle Court, as well as Magic Circle giant Clifford Chance.

Pannick’s inclusion in the line-up was especially well-received by City fans, who went so far as to display a banner of the top silk at a game last year.

Media reports suggest that the hearing is expected to last roughly 10 weeks, concluding in late November.

4 Comments

Crimbly Bimbly Boo

Isn’t impersonating a barrister an offence?

Anon

Yes mate and during Halloween, make sure you perform a citizen’s arrest on anyone dressed as a police officer too! Your lack of a sense of humour shouldn’t get in the way of justice

Al

There’s an interesting case on whether a fancy dress police uniform amounts to a ‘good reason’ for carrying an offensive weapon (i.e. a truncheon).

Houghton v Chief Constable of Greater Manchester [1986] 84 Cr.App.R 319

Gus the Snedger

I always thought “Paddy Power” was a particularly robust incontinence product!

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