In these article, we are going to unravel the facts about Manchester City FC owners as to whether it’s a one man ownership or group of company.
Manchester City Football Club is an English professional football club based in the city of Manchester, United Kingdom.
The club competes in the English top flight league (Premier League) and with her current home ground as Etihad Stadium (City of Manchester Stadium).
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Brief History of Manchester City FC
Manchester City FC was initially founded back in 1880 as St. Mark’s (West Gorton), it then later became Ardwick Association Football Club in 1887 before it was dissolved and later reform to Manchester City Football Club Ltd in 1894.
Manchester City had played her home games in five different stadium between 1880 – 1887.
The Club then finally settle for Hyde Road Football Stadium. A stadium in which they use as home ground until 1920 when a fire outbreak destroyed the stadium’s Main Stand.
Manchester City then later move to Maine Road (Wembley of the North), a stadium with 84,000 capacity.
With Maine Road Stadium redeveloped several times during it’s lifespan but was later restricted to 34,000 capacity in 1995.
The restrictions promoted Manchester City to search for a new ground which resulted to the move to City of Manchester Stadium in 2003.
The stadium which is also known as Etihad Stadium for sponsorship reason has a 53,400 capacity making it the fifth largest in the English Premier League.
Manchester City FC Owners
Manchester City FC holding company, Manchester City Limited is a private limited company with around 54 million shares in issue.
In 2007, the major shareholders of the Club agreed to sell their holdings to UK Sports Investments Limited (UKSIL).
August 2007, UKSIL, a company controlled by Thaksin Shinawatra (former Thailand prime minister) owns 90% stake of the club.
With two of Thaksin’s son, Pintongta and Oak Chinnawat also became directors of the club.
Later in 2008, Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan make a complete takeover of Manchester City FC through Abu Dhabi United Group (ADUG). A deal worth around £200 million.
With the reported wealth of the new owner, Manchester City were able to fund the recruitment of new players making the the highest spending club in the 2009 summer.
In 2013/14 season, City Football Group (CFG) was created to manage the footballing interest of Abu Dhabi United Group for the purpose of sharing resources.
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In conclusion, City Football Group (CFG) owns and controls Manchester City Football Club.
City Football Group (CFG)
City Football Group Limited (CFG) is an holding company and club’s parent company founded in 2013.
A group that administer association football with it’s name derived from Manchester City FC.
CFG is a business model by former Barcelona Economy Vice president, Ferran Soriano.
Tne idea was to create a global football entity with Barcelona then.
But couldn’t proceed with the plan when he resigned alongside 7 other board members in protest against then Barcelona president , Joan Laporta.
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Later in 2012, Soriano was employed as the CEO of Manchester City and immediately revived his ambition of creating a global football business entity.
Soriano then begin talk with Don Garber, Major League Soccer commissioner which resulted in MLS’s 20th expansion of New York City FC in May 2013.
However, the group’s majority stake is owned by Abu Dhabi United Group with an American and China firm owing a combined 22% stake.
City Football Group is owned by three organization:
- Abu Dhabi United Group (ADUG) – 78%
- Silver Lake ( An American firm) – 10%
- China Media capital and CITIC capital – 12%
City Football Group Owned Clubs
Below are list of clubs City owns stake in through the City Football Group.
- Manchester City FC
- New York City FC
- Melbourne City FC
- Yokohama F. Marinos
- Girona FC
- Montevideo City Torque
- Club Bolívar
- Lommel S.K.
- Troyes AC
- Vannes OC
- Sichuan Jiuniu F.C.
Fun Facts about Manchester City
1 – Manchester City’s Maine Road held the record for the highest home attendance for an English club. (84,569 fans vs Stoke City in 1934).
2 – City’s goalkeeper John Burridge held the record for the oldest player to have ever played in the Premier League. (43 years and 162 days vs QPR in May, 1995).
3 – Manchester City became the only English club to have ever relegated with a positive goal difference (80 goals scored and 77 goals conceded in 1937/38 season).
4 – City holds the British record transfer fee of (£100 million to Aston Villa for Jack Grealish, August 2021).
5 – Man. City became the first team to win all major English trophies available in a single season (2018/19 season).
6 – Man. City holds a joint record with Leicester City for the most title won in second division league (7 titles each).
7 – City has only won one major European trophy in their name (1970 Cup Winner’s Cup).
