In 2023 The Sun Said 'Learn From Sheikh Mansour.' Now It's Running a Man City Relegation Vote.

Nothing ages worse than a love letter to a football owner.

On September 25, Manchester City were reported guilty of 114 of the 115 Premier League financial charges. Many of the charges are about how the club reported its money, including sponsorship deals with Abu Dhabi firms. City say they will prove their innocence on appeal, and no punishment has been set.

The Sun's reaction the next morning? A poll. "Should Manchester City be relegated from the Premier League? VOTE NOW." Fill in the form and you could win a £100 voucher.

The poll never names the man who owns the club, Sheikh Mansour, or Abu Dhabi. Another Sun story that day calls the owners "wealthy UAE investors." Mansour is the UAE's vice-president. That's like calling the King "a man with a big house."

Now rewind to February 11, 2023, five days after the charges landed. The Sun's headline: "Man City have arguably the most loved owners in football.. jealous rivals should pipe down and learn from Sheikh Mansour." The piece laughed at people calling for City to be relegated. It said the rules should chase "conmen and crooks," not someone "flooding football with millions."

Fair's fair: The Sun does mention the UAE in its big analysis piece. And any fan is allowed to change their mind.

But look at the pattern. When the money was flowing, the owner was a hero and the critics were jealous. Now the verdict is in, the owner turns into a footnote and the fans get a quiz. In our view, if you cheered the millions, you owe readers a line about where they came from.