[Archived] Fa Will Investigate Bribe Claims

[Cocker]

Report on the BBC - CLICK

All I can think is that this must be some looser who has been forgotten about and needs to get back into the limelight.

Obviously we can't go guessing names who we think it might be as it could come back to hurt us (the message board)......rules are rules and all that

[Ray-Von]

Talking from inexperience here... is it me or is only recently that we're starting to have dodgy dealings etc. in football? I know there were obviously things like this going on decades ago but I don't think it was this rife! Every few months there seems to be some financial corruption going on...

Not too sure about that....after reading the excellent book "The Damned United" recommended on of the other threads, it seems that were lots of allegations about bribery and sweeteners about Revie's Leeds team.

[USABlue]

The FA to investigate match fixing, oh the hypocrisy!

[blue phil]

Not too sure about that....after reading the excellent book "The Damned United" recommended on of the other threads, it seems that were lots of allegations about bribery and sweeteners about Revie's Leeds team.

I'm half way through Duncan Hamilton's book on Bryan Clough .........Revie was dodgy all right and everything Clough said about the team and its tactics was spot on .

[key76]

The comments coming from Sky Sports News tonight seem to suggest that the footballer in question has sought help for his gambling addiction from the Sporting Chance place.

What worries me is that BRFC may be dragged into this after a certain Sheff Weds striker openly admitted yesterday that he had a gambling addiction at the said facility....or am I thinking too logically???

Then again the stories are about a TOP player who has played in the last TWO years....that rules out the wingnut striker I was thinking of!!!!

[Brfcrule1]

hello all,

Isn't it funny how Arsene Wenger seems to view the game of football with arsenal tinted glasses no respect for anyone else apart from his own players but looking at that article it says:Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger said any player proven to have accepted a bribe to throw a game should be banned for life.

"I believe that the most important thing is that our game is clean," Wenger said.

"It is surprising news and very bad news. I am convinced that if it is proven they should be banned for life. we are back here again so would like to know if a player does one bad thing we should punish them all with a ban for life and the bit that really got me chuckling:

"It's not down to human nature. Everyone has to stand up for their own acts and take responsibility for what he is doing."

I would like to know does that mean Van Persie will take responsibility for that horrendous tackle on Ryan nelson at the beginning of the season and will he admit for once his arsenal team were just as dirty and physical as rovers were that day sadly I don't think so altho have to conclude he needs to look at the game of footy without his arsenal tinted glasses cos his view of any other team is seriously flawed!

rant over!

Laters all.

[Rathbone Market]

God, I hope it isn't a certain player of ours that springs to mind. In fact, I'm hoping it's a certain someone from a team that hates us and is very blunt about their feelings on our escape last season- that doesn't narrow it down too much I s'pose! My brother works for a national paper, will ask him in the morning. In all honesty I actually hope it isn't as bad as it is being reported-would be a crying shame.

[Dunnfc]

Report on the BBC - CLICK

All I can think is that this must be some looser who has been forgotten about and needs to get back into the limelight.

Well Gazza has been out the papers for two weeks now!

[Neil Weaver]

Talking from inexperience here... is it me or is only recently that we're starting to have dodgy dealings etc. in football? I know there were obviously things like this going on decades ago but I don't think it was this rife! Every few months there seems to be some financial corruption going on...

Pre-historic events at Burnley

and a big scandal some of our older members will tell us more about (here's looking at you Fife ).........

here

[BiggusLaddus]

And Arsenals promotion of 1919??

[FourLaneBlue]

Talking from inexperience here... is it me or is only recently that we're starting to have dodgy dealings etc. in football? I know there were obviously things like this going on decades ago but I don't think it was this rife! Every few months there seems to be some financial corruption going on...

I don´t think it is any worse now than before. In the nineties there was just the same hand-wringing over bungs etc as well as George Graham having to step down as Arsenal boss. There have been financial scandals in football since before it even turned professional.

[nicko]

The comments coming from Sky Sports News tonight seem to suggest that the footballer in question has sought help for his gambling addiction from the Sporting Chance place.

What worries me is that BRFC may be dragged into this after a certain Sheff Weds striker openly admitted yesterday that he had a gambling addiction at the said facility....or am I thinking too logically???

Then again the stories are about a TOP player who has played in the last TWO years....that rules out the wingnut striker I was thinking of!!!!

The player you are hinting at there has only been sent off twice in his career and those red cards were about eight and nine years ago. So it ain't Big Ears.

[Fife Rover]

Pre-historic events at Burnley

and a big scandal some of our older members will tell us more about (here's looking at you Fife ).........

here

Ooohh you are naughty Neil; but I like you!

I thought for a minute you were referring to the Burnley case; even I am not that old! My father was still only a twinkle in Grandads eye at that time.

I certainly remember the Sheff Wed case though; but unfortunately can't improve on the detail given in the Wiki article.

All I can say about it is that it caused a real sensation throughout the game, and was top news for weeks. I also seem to remember that there were allegations flying around of endemic match fixing in Italian Football at the time as well, which never seemed to get properly addressed by the authorities concerned (cant think why!).

Anyway, returning to the Sheff Wed case, all I can really add is that it was the end of a very promising career for Peter Swan who was a top class player, and his colleagues. They all went to jail, and disappeared for ever from the game. Sad really; all for greed!

[Anti Euro Smiths Fan]

Le Tissier is not a Saint....

Former Southampton striker Matt Le Tissier has admitted taking part in a failed spread-betting scam.

In his autobiography called "Taking Le Tiss" - perhaps quite an appropriate title - he admitted gambling on the time of the first throw-in during a Southampton match against Wimbledon in 1995.

Le Tissier attempted to make at least £10,000 by trying to kick the ball out of play early, but it was kept in play by Southampton's Neil Shipperley, who was unaware of the bet.

I know that some readers might be thinking that this is not the crime of the century. Whilst I wouldn't put it alongside what the Kray Twins or the Yorkshire Ripper did, I do nevertheless think that what Le Tissier did (or attempted to do) was unacceptable and I'm concerned that such greedy spread betting scams on the pitch might be more widespread than some of us previously thought.

Le Tissier said: "We kicked-off. The ball was tapped to me and I went to hit it out towards Neil Shipperley on the left wing. As it was live on television, I didn't want to make it too obvious, so I tried to hit it just over his head. But with so much riding on it, I was a bit nervous and didn't give it enough welly."

"There was a lot of money to be made by exploiting it, we stood to win well into four figures," said Le Tissier. "The problem was that Shipperley knew nothing about the bet and managed to reach it and even head it back into play."

Le Tissier explained that the longer the ball remained in play, the more money he stood to lose. It would appear that there were other Southampton players involved in the attempted scam - though not Shipperley.

One of Le Tissier's Southampton team-mates at the time was Bruce Grobbelaar - though there's no evidence that Grobbelaar was actually involved alongside Le Tissier in the attempted scam.

When Wimbledon gained possession in the opening minute of the match, Le Tissier panicked. "I have never ran so hard in my life. We stood to lose a lot of cash if it went much longer than 75 seconds before the ball went out. I had visions of a guy coming to kneecap me," said Le Tissier. The ball eventually went out of play on 70 seconds, meaning Le Tissier neither won or lost money.

Le Tissier retired in 2002. I'm sure that if he had spoken out about his failed betting scam when he was still playing football then he would have been in line for a lengthy ban and would have been charged with bringing the game into disrepute.

Le Tissier has waited seven years after his retirement and has now decided to cash in by spilling the beans in his grubby book to make more money.

If I was a Southampton fan I'd certainly be less than impressed with Le Tissier's behaviour. Isn't it rather sad that the one time in Le Tissier's career that he ran his heart out and busted a gut to try to win the ball back was not because he was desperate to win the match, but because he was keen to make some dirty cash on the side.

Can you imagine if a TV interviewer had said to Le Tissier after the match: "You were really trying hard and busting a gut to do well for Southampton in the opening minute," and if Le Tissier had then actually admitted the truth: "Yes, it was only because I was attempting to make 10 grand from fixing a spread bet."

It certainly begs the question: How many other players at different clubs have also tried to make money in a similar way through spread betting scams? How many other players have not admitted to it like Le Tissier, but have kept quiet about their greed?

Even in Le Tissier's day, when football wages were not quite as high as today, players nevertheless were still able to earn a huge amount of money from playing football. Did some of the greedy buggers like Le Tissier really need to make extra money on the side?

Whilst it's true that what Le Tissier did (or attempted to do) against Wimbledon didn't have a direct outcome on the actual result of the match, it was still greedy and highly unethical behaviour.

Shame on you Le Tissier - you are clearly no Saint.

Link: Le Tissier admits being part of failed £10,000 bet fix

[philipl]

I heard that Le Tis story about five years ago.

Environmentally friendly re-cycling of old stories going on....

[joey_big_nose]

It is pretty disgusting to be honest. And by coming out with it in his book it will only legitimise and encourage other pros who are thinking of giving it a shot.

Is this kind of fraud not a criminal offence?

[Ricky]

The player you are hinting at there has only been sent off twice in his career and those red cards were about eight and nine years ago. So it ain't Big Ears.

Don't think that's right Nicko, he nutted someone and got sent off about two weeks ago.

[USRoverME]

Don't think that's right Nicko, he nutted someone and got sent off about two weeks ago.

Someone didn't check his message date stamps!

[Ricky]

I should have guessed once I saw it was an aesf post that this thread had been dragged up from years ago lol.