Corruption rears its ugly head again

The unwelcome spectre of corruption and match-fixing has raised its ugly head in the English game again. What game do the allegations surround? Is it Manchester United, Chelsea, Liverpool or Arsenal? No, it’s the game on 4th October in the Championship, between Norwich City and Derby County.

The top clubs in Italy have faced accusations in the past and even international goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon was under suspicion. This time, however, it is not the top of the game that is coming under the microscope.

Nothing to hide

Derby manager Paul Jewell is shocked by the allegations and has reacted in the way that most people will. He said, “It’s something that as far as I’m concerned is nonsense. I’m bemused. If it wasn’t so serious it would be laughable. I don’t know where the story has come from and if it needs investigating the FA will investigate it but it’s certainly nothing for us to hide or Norwich to hide.”

Football Association Chairman Lord Triesman has promised that the FA will thoroughly investigate the match-fixing allegations which relate to unusual online betting patterns in Asia during the course of that game.

Serious allegation

Lord Triesman said, “We will do it very thoroughly. We’ll do it as expeditiously as we can. It is a serious allegation and it’s going to be taken seriously.”

Derby won the game at Carrow Road 2-1, taking them up to fifteenth place in the table and sending Norwich down to twenty-first.

New offence

A spokesman for the Department of Culture, Media and Sport added: “Ministers take the integrity of sport and gambling very seriously, which is why the Government recently introduced a new offence of cheating at gambling which carries a maximum two-year jail sentence. We want there to be no hiding place for cheats and it is right the FA investigate these serious allegations thoroughly. Should evidence that the law has been broken emerge it is for the relevant authorities such as the Gambling Commission or the police to conduct that investigation.”

We have to all hope that these allegations are proven to be unfounded. It beggars belief that a lower mid-table game in the English Championship could be the target of a major betting and corruption scandal. If the game had involved Derby County a few weeks previously when they hadn’t won for over thirty games, then people making a considerable amount of money out of their victory might be easier to understand. As it is, this was Derby’s third win in the league and Norwich’s fourth defeat, so it was hardly a shock score.

Assist the authorities

Norwich Chief Executive Neil Doncaster has spoken of his surprise at the allegations and hopes that the investigation will be conducted quickly. He has said that Norwich will assist the authorities with any of their enquiries, but as yet they haven’t been contacted by the FA.

It is an unpleasant state of affairs when this type of thing hits the news because it tends to taint the whole game of football. The fans of Norwich and Derby will be desperate to hear the news that nobody associated with their clubs has been involved in anything untoward. In fact, the fans of clubs everywhere will be desperate to hear that news because if it turns out that a game between Norwich and Derby has been in any way rigged, then almost any game could come under suspicion.

‘No smoke without fire’

Presumably, the betting patterns that have been discovered are sufficiently worrying to establish the need for an investigation. Whatever the outcome, the clubs and the game will suffer from the ‘no smoke without fire’ viewpoint that many people will take.

I am an optimist when it comes to football. There is no other way to be when you coach Wilton Town and support Watford. I always try to see the good in the game and I would be utterly devastated if it turned out that this type allegation was true.

Dragged through the mud

It is good that the FA have acted quickly and I hope that the matter is dealt with thoroughly and expeditiously so that the game does not get dragged through the mud in the process. Like Paul Jewell, I’m sure that neither club has anything to hide. There must be a perfectly simple explanation for whatever happened in Asia.

If there isn’t, football in England could face a bleak future. It isn’t even worth contemplating the consequences of the enquiry finding that there was wrong doing. I’m sure it won’t.

Opponents of Wilton Town

If anyone does want to get a team to throw a match so that they can make a lot of money, they might consider the possibility of approaching the opponents of Wilton Town. Not only would they make a lot of money out of it, but I reckon it’s the only way my lot might win a game!! (That was a joke by the way!!)