Agent set to sue BBC over 'bung' claims

Players' agent Peter Harrison has defended his activities after being caught up in the BBC's Panorama investigation into football…

Players' agent Peter Harrison has defended his activities after being caught up in the BBC's Panorama investigation into football corruption.

Harrison claims he has never paid a bung and is intending to sue the BBC over the way he was portrayed in the programme on Tuesday.

Bolton manager Sam Allardyce and his son Craig, a former agent, are at the centre of allegations of alleged illegal payments made during transfer deals and the Football Association are to investigate.

Allardyce strenuously denies the allegations and has begun legal proceedings against the BBC.

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Harrison told the Daily Express: "I've never given bungs. I've not given a bung to Sam Allardyce. I've never given a bung. I shall be suing the BBC.

"I haven't heard from the FA. I shall be carrying on as an agent and I shall be doing whatever the FA want me to do."

Harrison does not deny that he has made payments to Craig Allardyce, but claims that is not unusual as sometimes several agents can be involved in a deal.

He added: "Yes, I have paid Craig. I've never denied it.

"But Craig is a FIFA agent and in some deals there can be as many as four or five agents, so why shouldn't I pay Craig?"

As for whether Craig Allardyce might then pass money on to his father, Harrison dismisses the suggestion as "preposterous".

He said: "I wouldn't know that. Why ask me? You would have to ask Craig and you'd have to ask Sam.

"But I know the answer. It is preposterous, just so ridiculous."

Another agent, however, has claimed that he was asked to pay a bung by a Premiership manager.

Jon Holmes, the chief executive of SFX, one of Europe's leading agencies, has said he has been asked for illegal payments by three managers during his 30 years in the business.

Holmes told The Sun: "In my career three managers, one of them currently operating in the Premiership, have intimated to me they would like a 'kickback'.

"One, for example, suggested that he would send a player my way but asked if he would 'benefit' from doing so.

"Was that asking for a bung? I thought so and walked away from the situation as I did from others."

The BBC journalist who carried out the expose for Panorama has said he may be ready to name a second Premiership manager as part of his investigation.

Journalist Alex Millar claims a manager agreed to collect a suitcase containing £50,000 sterling — with a second instalment to follow — from a hotel but changed his mind.

Millar told the Daily Mail: "It was a big blow as we thought we were going to get it on film and people could see the type of thing that goes on.

"If you don't catch a manager then some people will say we haven't quite made it.

"We are currently discussing how we will provide information to the FA and what exactly we will give them. But we will be as helpful as we can be."