TV 'bung' probe set to rock world of football

Figures from the world of football were tonight anxiously awaiting details of an undercover investigation into alleged corruption in the game.

A BBC Panorama inquiry is set to make damaging allegations over accusations of a “bung” culture of illegal payments in transfer deals.

The programme, entitled Undercover: Football’s Dirty Secrets, centres on conversations between agents and undercover journalists posing as representatives of a new agency.

Programme-makers believe their investigation, due to be screened on BBC1 at 9pm tomorrow, will “rock football to its foundations”.

The BBC confirmed tonight that Luton manager Mike Newell will name agent Charles Collymore as one of those he claims offered him a bung in the programme.

The Panorama investigation is also expected to make damaging allegations about at least one Premiership manager.

Mr Collymore is expected to be shown in secretly-filmed footage telling investigators of “six to eight managers” who would be “definitely up for a bung“.

He is expected to be shown saying: “There’s managers out there who take bungs all day long... ****, you know that, takes bungs all day long. We’ve got ***** FC, yep all day long.”

He adds: “I would say to you comfortably there’s six to eight managers we could definitely approach and they’d be up for this, no problem.”

But in a statement through his lawyers tonight Mr Collymore strenuously denies any wrongdoing.

He confirms that he met Knut Auf dem Berge, an ex German semi-professional player who went undercover for the programme, but claims he made “wholly untrue statements” only “to determine his real agenda”.

Bolton manager Sam Allardyce also admitted his family were “concerned” about possible allegations in the investigation.

Allardyce and his agent son Craig are understood to have been among those investigated by the programme.

The Bolton boss said: “We are concerned but at the moment, because I am linked with it, from a legal point of view, I cannot say any more than that.

“I will take a view after the programme has come out because I do not know what is in it.”

Mr Newell, who first sparked concerns over transfer bungs, tells the programme: “It’s great for me to see, to see what I’ve just seen on the film. It does vindicate me and it does, it does vilify them.”

Speaking about alleged bungs, he says: “I think it’s become a culture in football and it’s almost accepted and brushed under the carpet.”

In his statement Mr Collymore said: “A third party introduction led to a meeting with a Mr Knut Auf dem Berge.

“I became suspicious of his alleged claim to be a frontman for an investor.

“In seeking to uncover his true identity and the validity of his claim, I made some wholly untrue statements to determine his real agenda.

“I can categorically state that I have never offered nor accepted a ‘bung’ to or from anyone.”

Portsmouth manager Harry Redknapp, who is believed to have been filmed, was relaxed about the programme.

He is quoted as saying: “Watch it on Tuesday.

“It will be very interesting and I’m looking forward to it – except that I won’t see it because I’ll be sat in a dug-out at Mansfield with the team in a (Carling) Cup-tie.

“Maybe my missus will watch it and tape it for me but I know I have nothing to fear because I haven’t done anything – no matter how they edit it.”

Former Metropolitan Police Commissioner Lord Stevens has been asked by the Premier League to conduct the official inquiry into alleged bungs in the game. His findings are expected within weeks.