Last Updated: Wednesday, 20 September 2006, 06:05 GMT 07:05 UK

 

FA probes BBC 'bung' allegations

 

Allardyce has been manager of Bolton since October 1999

 

The Football Association says it will investigate "any possible breach of the rules" over allegations regarding the payment of bungs within the game. Bolton boss Sam Allardyce is at the centre of the allegations of bungs - illegal payments - uncovered by a BBC Panorama undercover film.

The film shows two agents claiming they paid bungs to Allardyce, who denies ever asking for or taking a bung.

The FA has asked for any evidence uncovered by the Panorama programme.

Bolton Wanderers Football Club has also said it may request further information from the BBC.

WHAT IS A BUNG?

A secret and unauthorised payment seen as a financial incentive to help a transfer go through

HOW DOES IT WORK?

An agent pays a club official a slice of his cut for the help of the club official helping the transfer go through

AGENTS' RULES:

An agent may... never so approach a player who is under contract with a club with the aim of persuading him to terminate his contract prematurely or to flout the rights and duties stipulated in the contract

 

"We are reviewing the programme carefully. We will make further comment in due course," said a club statement.

An FA spokesman said: "We have watched the programme with great interest and have asked the BBC if they will share the findings from their investigation with us.

"If we have evidence of possible breaches of rules and regulations we will of course investigate that."

Agent Teni Yerima claims he bribed Allardyce in the past. Another agent, Peter Harrison, describes offering to pay the Bolton manager's son Craig, who Panorama claim received secret payments from agents during three transfer deals.

Former England managerial candidate Allardyce also told the BBC he would not condone any breaches of FA rules - whatever personal affection he has for his son.

Craig Allardyce said he was exaggerating his own importance to the undercover reporter in order to attract opportunities.

He denied any wrongdoing in his Bolton deals or in his relationship with the club.

These allegations damage the integrity of football and need to be looked at properly

 

 

Sports minister Richard Caborn

 

Portsmouth boss Harry Redknapp is secretly filmed discussing an illegal approach to buy the Blackburn defender Andy Todd.

Redknapp denies his conversation about Todd with agent Peter Harrison amounted to "tapping up".

Redknapp's assistant at Portsmouth at the time of the filming, Kevin Bond, is secretly recorded admitting he would consider discussing receiving payments from a proposed new agency involving Peter Harrison. Mr Bond also says he will discuss it with his then boss Harry Redknapp.

Redknapp told the BBC that he has never taken a bung and had given Kevin Bond no reason to think otherwise.

When Bond was told of the filming he said that he is not interested in receiving bungs and that no one he has ever worked with has taken a bung.

The documentary also shows Chelsea's director of youth football, Frank Arnesen, secretly filmed making a illegal approach for or "tapping up" Middlesbrough's England youth star 15-year-old Nathan Porritt.

Chelsea have denied the filmed meetings broke any industry rules.

The Premiership champions were given a suspended three-point deduction by the Premier League when they were found guilty of illegally approaching Arsenal's Ashley Cole, who has since joined Chelsea.

There are allegations concerning other potential breaches of industry rules in the programme that fall outside the terms of reference of Lord Stevens' inquiry

 

 

Premier League statement

 

But the Press Association has reported that Panorama's claims will not lead to that points deduction being triggered.

Chelsea are also currently the subject of a joint investigation by the Premier League and Football Association over claims by Leeds of illegal approaches for three academy players last season.

The Press Association claims the suspended sentence refers to 'contracted players', and not academy players.

Porritt was also the subject of filmed discussions between Harrison and representatives of Liverpool FC.

Panorama claim 18 past and present Premiership managers had been named as having taken illegal payments.

Sports minister Richard Caborn called on the programme to hand its evidence to the Premier League's inquiry, headed by Lord Stevens, which is due to announce its findings into illegal payments in football on 2 October.

"The integrity of sport needs to be upheld and there are proper rules for managers and agents. These allegations damage the integrity of football and need to be looked at properly.

"The programme alleged they had names of 18 managers who had received illegal payments, and I think they should give all their findings over to the Lord Stevens inquiry.

"This reinforces what I have been trying to do to bring in greater regulation into football through the European Football Review."

And a Premier League statement backed Caborn's view.

That statement said: "The Premier League have asked for the BBC to make their evidence available to the Stevens inquiry.

"The Premier League takes all allegations of this nature seriously, which is why we launched an inquiry into alleged irregular payments in transfers back in January of this year.

"As we have made clear any evidence from any source is welcomed. Indeed when the BBC initially approached us regarding Panorama's findings we requested they be submitted to Lord Stevens for investigation.

"We hope now the BBC has had the opportunity to broadcast that their documentary evidence and filming will be made available to Lord Stevens and his team.

"There are allegations concerning other potential breaches of industry rules in the programme that fall outside the terms of reference of Lord Stevens' inquiry.

"Again we request the BBC pass on their evidence in order that the FA and ourselves can examine all aspects of these allegations in order to determine the most appropriate course of action that each body should take."

Heads will roll. Allardyce has said he will sue.

 

 

 

Good to see English football isn't as rosy as once thought..

Whats wrong with the other thread about this topic?

 

Honestly, people - please look before you start a new thread.

 

We've already got a few on conspiracy theorys, israel, terrorism, half a dozen on the pope, we dont need several on bungs as well.

Whats wrong with the other thread about this topic?

 

Honestly, people - please look before you start a new thread.

 

We've already got a few on conspiracy theorys, israel, terrorism, half a dozen on the pope, we dont need several on bungs as well.

 

Who are you?? Victor Meldrew??:P

Cue...

 

:lock:

 

Or Merging this thread with the other thread about it.