FOOTBALLERS Bruce Grobbelaar, John Fashanu and Hans Segers yesterday faced allegations of match fixing when they appeared in court at the start of a committal hearing.

Bruce Grobbelaar, Johns Fashaau and Hans Segers arrived at Eastleigh magistrates court, in Hampshire, where they are charged, along with Malaysian businessman Heng Suan Lim of conspiring together between February 1st, 1991 and March 15th, 1995 of corruptly giving or accepting money as inducements to influence the outcome of football matches or as rewards for having done so.

Fashanu, 32, the ex-England and Aston Villa striker, who described himself to the bench as a businessman, is charged with corruptly giving Grobbelaar £40,000 as a reward for influencing the outcome of the Liverpool v Newcastle United game on 21st November, 1993 which Liverpool lost 3-0.

The Gladiators presenter is also accused of giving Segers, the Wimbledon goalkeeper, £19,000 for having improperly influenced the outcome of the Wimbledon v Liverpool match played on 22nd October, 1994 which Wimbledon lost 3-0.

Former Liverpool goalkeeper Gobbelaar, 38, who is now with Southampton, is accused of corruptly accepting £40,000 from Fashanu, while Segers, 33, is similarly accused of accepting £19,000 from Fashanu.

For the duration they sat at tables with their barristers and legal teams. Reporting restrictions were not lifted and the accused were released on bail. The hearing was adjourned until today.