Politics - Undercover - Football's Dirty Secrets

On 19 September 2006 Panorama showed a documentary called "Undercover: Footballs Dirty Secrets", which alleged payments in English football contrary to the rules of the Football Association, involving:* That Bolton Wanderers manager Sam Allardyce, and his agent son Craig were implicated for taking "bungs" (a backhander, bribe, or kickback) from agents for signing certain players. Two agents, Teni Yerima and Peter Harrison, were secretly filmed, each separately claiming that they had paid Allardyce through his son. Allardyce denies ever taking, or asking for, a bung. The programme was aired on the same night that Bolton beat Walsall 3-1 in the Carling Cup, so Allardyce missed the original showing.* Portsmouth manager Harry Redknapp is secretly filmed discussing the possibility of buying the Blackburn Rovers F.C. captain Andy Todd with agent Peter Harrison, which is against Football Association rules.* Then Portsmouth first-team coach Kevin Bond, who was first team coach of Newcastle United at the time of airing, is secretly recorded admitting he would consider discussing receiving payments from a proposed new agency involving agent Peter Harrison. Consequently, Bond was relieved of his duties at Newcastle.* Chelsea director of youth football Frank Arnesen is secretly filmed making an illegal approach or "tapping up" Middlesbroughs England youth star 15-year-old Nathan Porritt. Arnesen offers a fee of $150,000 spread over three years as an incentive to move. Both of these allegations are against FA rules.* Agent Peter Harrison told the undercover reporter that, to secure transfer deals with Bolton, he bribed Sam Allardyce by offering to pay his son Craig. Harrison is a FIFA-listed agent who is based in the north-east of England.* That three different Bolton transfer signings involved secret payments from agents to Craig Allardyce, some when he was contractually banned from doing any Bolton deals. Panorama alleged Boltons transfer signings of defender Tal Ben Haim, midfielder Hidetoshi Nakata and goalkeeper Ali Al-Habsi involved secret payments from agents to Craig Allardyce. Allardyces son quit the agency business in summer 2006, and has admitted in newspaper interviews that his working as an agent might have cost his father the chance of becoming England manager.The Football Association has asked for any evidence as it tries to rid such action from football.