TV 'bung' probe set to rock soccer

12 April 2012

Figures from the world of football are reported to be 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 on Tuesday, will "rock football to its foundations".

The BBC confirmed 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".

But in a statement through his lawyers Mr Collymore has strenuously denied any wrongdoing.

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

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