Barnsley assistant manager sacked over 'bung' claims
Barnsley FC has sacked the club's assistant manager Tommy Wright after allegations he accepted a £5,000 'bung' to help a fake firm profit from transfers.
The Daily Telegraph reported Wright accepted an envelope full of £20 notes during a meeting with undercover reporters in Leeds last month as part of the newspaper's investigation into football corruption that led to Sam Allardyce standing down as England manager.
Video footage purported to show Wright allegedly agreeing to help sign players part-owned by the fake Far East investors.
In a statement, the Championship club said: "Barnsley FC today terminated the contract of Assistant Head Coach Tommy Wright with immediate effect.
"A meeting between the Club and Mr Wright was held this morning attended by Club Chief Executive Linton Brown.
"After considering Mr Wright’s response to allegations in today’s Daily Telegraph about breaching FA rules over player transfers, Mr Wright was dismissed.
"The Club was unaware of such matters or involved in any wrongdoing. The Club will continue to fully investigate the issues at hand and will co-operate with the regulatory authorities as necessary."
Wright denies any wrongdoing.
The Telegraph also alleged Queens Park Rangers boss Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink requested a £55,000 fee to work for a fake Far Eastern firm seeking to sell players to the club.
In video footage collected by the newspaper, Hasselbaink is seen asking the undercover reporters to "come up with a nice figure" for a role, which the newspaper said he is told would involve a number of trips to meet the firm in Singapore.
QPR has not suspended Hasselbaink, saying it has "every confidence" in him, but added the 44-year-old will be subjected to a "thorough internal investigation".
Hasselbaink denied any impropriety, saying: "I do not see anything unusual in being offered to be paid to make a speech."
He added: "I did not make any promises in return. I did not ask QPR to purchase any of the players who were said to be managed by (two football agents) and did not and would not recommend the purchase of a player for my personal gain.
"I deny any accusations of wrongdoing on my part."
He said his lawyers had "responded in full to the accusations levelled against me by the Telegraph".
The Telegraph said it had obtained separate footage which it claimed shows Leeds United owner Massimo Cellino explaining to representatives of a fictitious Far East firm how they can circumvent FA and Fifa transfer rules.
The footage reportedly shows Mr Cellino suggesting they become club shareholders in order to receive a portion of players' sell-on fees.
FA and Fifa rules ban third-party ownership of players, and third parties receiving any percentage of a player's transfer fees.
Leeds United described the allegations relating to Mr Cellino as a "non-story" in a statement.
The Daily Telegraph investigation has also alleged that 10 as-yet-unnamed managers took bribes in player transfers.
Earlier this week an investigation by the Telegraph claimed Allardyce used his role as then England manager to negotiate a deal worth £400,000 and offer advice about how to "get around" player transfers rules.
He later left his position after just one game in charge of the national side.
Speaking outside his home on Wednesday, Allardyce said: "It was a silly thing to do... an error of judgment on my behalf.
"Entrapment has won on this occasion. I'm off abroad to chill out and reflect on it."