Joe Hart backs Al Mubarak as Manchester City prepare financial-case appeal

Joe Hart has publicly backed Manchester City chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak following the club's reported defeat in its Premier League financial case. Speaking on BBC Radio 5 Live's Monday Night Club, the former City goalkeeper said he trusted the chairman's insistence that the club would continue trying to establish its innocence.

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BBC Sport reported on September 28 that City had been found guilty of most of the 115 alleged breaches of financial rules and were set to appeal. Al Mubarak has maintained that the club will seek to prove its innocence and that proceedings remain far from finished. Hart's support for that position does not alter the reported findings.

Hart said his confidence came from his experience of Al Mubarak's leadership and his response to the chairman's letter. He told the programme: "I've got no reason not to trust Khaldoon." The former England international said he was calm about the situation and remained proud of both his own performances and what his City team had achieved.

The 39-year-old made 348 appearances for City in all competitions between 2006 and 2016, according to the BBC. His honours included Premier League titles in 2011-12 and 2013-14, the FA Cup in 2010-11 and League Cups in 2013-14 and 2015-16. He said he did not currently regard those achievements as tarnished by the case.

The allegations against City included claims that sponsorship income from connected businesses had been overstated and that other payments had been kept outside the club's recorded accounts to get around financial regulations. These formed part of the wider case brought by the Premier League. City continue to contest the findings, with an appeal still to come in the BBC's account.

Hart also said he had not considered contacting former City team-mates to discuss the developments. Describing his experience as a player, he focused on competing against opponents on the pitch rather than the financial questions now surrounding the club. He acknowledged that further discussion would be needed if guilt were established, while continuing to express confidence in Al Mubarak's position.