Birmingham City chief David Sullivan blasts corruption probe

Apr 16 2008

Birmingham City co-owner David Sullivan branded the police's investigation into football corruption a 'huge waste of time and money'.

Sullivan and Blues managing director Karren Brady were arrested as part of the ongoing inquiry last week on suspicion of false accounting and conspiracy to defraud but Sullivan insists the City of London Police are no longer looking into possible 'bungs' paid by agents to managers or club officials.

Instead, he says, he was questioned about payments made by agent Willie McKay to his own players, not to any senior club figures.

Sullivan is angry that Birmingham have been implicated and feels the police are also misleading the public by continuing to state that the investigation centres on corruption.

"They started off looking for bungs and, having found none, they're now looking for anything to justify their time," Sullivan said in The Guardian. "There is no suggestion that anybody at the club had any payment from Willie McKay. We didn't know he paid any players and, if he did, whether it was accounted for properly in tax.

"We would urge whoever is allocating police time to look at this - it's a huge, huge waste of time and money. This isn't a football bung or corruption inquiry. If there is an issue, it should be sorted out by HM Revenue and Customs."

Sullivan is also unhappy with the statement released by the police concerning his arrest, after he and Brady willingly arranged the appointment.

"They said there would be no publicity, then they put out a press release saying a 59-year-old man and 39-year-old woman had been arrested - they might as well have put our names in.

"We are certain there is no case here but even if, as we expect, they decide not to charge us, our reputations have been tarnished because it can always be referred to that we were arrested."

Mr McKay has denied any wrongdoing over payments.