Panorama Undercover: Football's Dirty SecretsBolton Wanderers and the Football Association yesterday launched separate inquiries into the Panorama allegations surrounding Sam Allardyce following the broadcast on Tuesday of the documentary Undercover: Football's Dirty Secrets.
Officials at the FA's compliance unit have asked for all the evidence gathered by the BBC reporters. The corporation yesterday agreed to the request, providing the FA's anti-corruption team the opportunity to pick through the Panorama findings and discern whether charges should be brought against any of those featured.
"These are serious allegations which have been made by Panorama and we are determined to investigate them fully," the FA's chief executive, Brian Barwick, said yesterday. "We will work in close co-operation with the Premier League. We will ensure that our inquiries are exhaustive and thorough."
Allardyce, in common with all those who were Premiership managers between January 2004 and 2006, has already been questioned by investigators from the Quest team. That inquiry was commissioned by the Premier League and a provisional report is due to be returned to the league's board on October 2nd.
Among the 362 transfers reviewed were those of Hidetoshi Nakata, Tal Ben Haim and Ali Al-Habsi to Bolton, which were highlighted on Panorama. Speaking broadly about the report's findings, sources close to the investigation said they were significantly "more detailed and far reaching" than anything the programme uncovered.
It is unclear who will conduct Bolton's inquest into Panorama's allegations, which also showed the club's chairman Phil Gartside, an FA board member, involved in transfer negotiations with agents who had made an illegal approach for the player being discussed. The club's board yesterday issued a statement saying it would "work with" Allardyce "to establish the facts" in a "thorough and robust investigation".
Allardyce's son Craig, a former agent, was alleged to have received two payments from the agent Peter Harrison for his part in transfer deals involving Bolton, neither having been declared to the FA. Sam Allardyce said yesterday he was "utterly innocent" of any wrongdoing.
"The individuals who appeared in the programme making accusations against me have already confirmed in writing to my lawyers that they lied to the BBC," said Allardyce. "They lied in the hope of being able to make millions offered by the BBC undercover reporter to buy their sports agency businesses.
"As a result of their greed my good name has been tarnished by deceit and innuendo. In addition, as a father of course it is painful to watch your son talk tall and exaggerate his influence for financial gain."
The solicitor for Kevin Bond, who featured in the programme when Portsmouth's assistant manager, said he would sue the BBC for libel.
An inquiry into allegations of corruption in football was already underway at the FA after the managers Mike Newell and Ian Holloway claimed agents had offered them bungs. The latest investigation will also probe alleged contractual irregularity, as it involves suggestions of illegal approaches for players.
Chelsea, Liverpool and Newcastle United will all be under scrutiny for their alleged attempts to recruit Middlesbrough's England's youth international Nathan Porritt without the consent of the club. Without knowing he was being filmed, Harrison claimed to a reporter he had been to lunch with Newcastle officials and the player's parents.
Also in secret footage, Chelsea director of youth development Frank Arnesen was seen offering Harrison £150,000 should he join them; meanwhile a Liverpool official stated he would be interested in taking the player to Anfield.
Though the Premier League has investigated illegal approaches in the past it seems likely that responsibility for reviewing the Porritt affair will lie with the FA.
The Premier League considers its rules to be a recourse for a wronged club and, in the absence of an official complaint from Middlesbrough, who blame Harrison for the Chelsea discussions, it will not act unilaterally.
The FA, though, is not bound by such constraints and would pursue offenders if the compliance department considers there to have been a breach of Premier League rules. All the clubs involved say they have acted properly.
Guardian Service
