FA risks derision with probe into friendly bets at United

Published on Friday 9 May 2008 22:18

THE popular perception of national associations as repositories for bureaucratic buffoonery would surely be reinforced by the recent revelation that the Football Association in England are to investigate illegal betting on matches by personnel at Manchester United.

This concerns the diabolical practice of friendly wagers between Sir Alex Ferguson, a renowned, latter-day William Wallace, and his two French players, Patrice Evra and Louis Saha, on the outcome of Scotland's games with France in the Euro 2008 qualifying campaign.

Apparently, the whistle was inadvertently blown by Darren Fletcher, the Old Trafford and Scotland midfielder having related the tale in a magazine interview and concluded with the comment that "the gaffer had the last laugh, as we beat them twice".

The FA are to inquire into the matter on the grounds that players are not allowed to bet on matches on which they could have a direct influence. One cannot help wondering what the beavers of Soho Square would have made of some of the old-time gambling schools at clubs such as Celtic and Rangers.

On a trip to Budapest to meet Ujpest Dosza in the European Cup in 1971, some of us accompanied Jock Stein and several players to a Fairs Cup tie involving Honved the night before Celtic's match. With the manager himself and well-known punters such as Lou Macari in the company, the wagering was predictably lively.

"That was the bet of the year," Stein gloated, as he climbed back into the mini-bus, having 'plunged' on the victorious home team.

Ferguson himself has spoken of his experiences at Ibrox in the 1960s, where some of the players were profoundly influenced by the famous exhortation of the great racing writer, Richard Baerlein, to "bet like men". This frequently led to 'pots' at card games totalling upwards of 25 weeks' wages. By comparison, the United trio under investigation are monuments to abstinence.