In today's Sunday Telegraph; The National Crime Agency is investigating a fresh series of match-fixing allegations after claims that a former Premier League player said he could influence games in return for cash. Sam Sodje allegedly boasted that he could control events such as bookings, according to allegations in the Sun on Sunday. It is also alleged that Sodje punched an opponent in the groin to get sent off and receive a bung of £70,000. The incident allegedly occurred when he was playing for Portsmouth against Oldham Athletic in February this year. Sodje allegedly showed footage of himself hitting Oldham's Jose Baxter and told the Sun reporter: "OK listen. This is when I was playing. Do you know how much I got for that? £70k. Do you know how much I got fined? I got fined ten grand and I missed six games. "I had to do it because the referee wasn't booking me. Come on, who does that? Why would you do it on the pitch? I was tackling, tackling, it wasn't working and I went f*** that, I'm off." The former Portsmouth player, 34, who is currently a free agent, also said he had arranged for one player to get a yellow card in exchange for "three bags, three zero", meaning £30,000. In interviews recorded by the paper and handed to the NCA, Sodje reportedly said: "This guy came to meet me at my house and it was sorted. That's how easy it is - it's nothing." This former Premier League player, who now plays in the Championship, duly got booked in the match in which Sodje said he would, according to the Sun. Sodje, who played in the Premier League for Reading, also allegedly claimed he could fix top flight games although it would take "a lot" of money. A spokesman for the NCA said last night: "We have received some information from the Sun on Sunday and as a result of that there is an ongoing investigation that is taking place." The allegations come after the Telegraph revealed members of an alleged betting syndicate had been attempting to fix English football games.
Can't say it comes as a great surprise if the allegations are true. Remember a couple of truly bizarre incidents when he played for us Sling him out of the game and the country if it proves true.
When Danny Mills got himself sent off for us we all thought it was because he wanted to get home for Christmas early. I also remember Danny Murphy getting himself sent off by haranguing the ref over an insignificant free-kick decision on the half-way line when he was already on a yellow. We were 1-0 down to Arsenal at the time and I was livid about his lack of professionalism. Fans will be looking at incidents like this in a different light now, because Sodje is unlikely to have been the only one at it. I hope his back-handers can be confiscated under the "proceeds of crime" law, slinging him out of the game is a certainty I would think.
This is disappointing as he was one of my favourite Charlton players during his time at our club, having just looked at the incident on Youtube it definitely appears like the allegations are true.
Match fixing. I cannot express enough contempt for these thieving, fan raping scumbags. Reading the surnames of the people involved, a definite pattern emerges, I wonder why?
I had a lot of time for the Sodje's always seemed to give 100 per cent. Not the best but they tried. Now if these allegations are true I have nothing but contempt for them.Lying cheating bastards with no thought about the fans or their fellow professionals.
Slinging him out the country is a strange suggestion. Should be banned for life though. Shame as I liked him when he played for us, rather him than Llera.
I was a massive fan of him too!! Always thought we were better with him in the team, though you did worry about his discipline. I guess we now know the reasons why He also alleges his brother would take a booking for cash too. It's a shame they've only been found out at the end of their career. Taking away their right to play would have been the best thing for them.
DJ Campbell has also been arrested. I'm sure he has a few quid in the bank, so it all boils down to pure greed - not that I condone it at any level.
If they are found guilty, surely they could have their possessions confiscated as "proceeds of crime". Would be some sort of deterrent.
A nigerian involved in a scam. Who'd have thought it. Michael Boateng, Hakeem Adelakun, Delroy Facey, Sam Sodje and now DJ Campbell - as Typical said, there is definately a pattern emerging. please log in to view this image please log in to view this image please log in to view this image please log in to view this image
Maybe now is a good time for owners to start drastically lowering ticket prices. If fans seriously start thinking that this is a regular occurrence in games and that players are going out on to the field to cheat in this way (and believe many will what with what you see in some matches) then you could see attendances dropping even lower
Owners lower prices?Not in their DNA. However, as I said in an earlier post fans will be thinking of certain incidents and wondering if there was anything more sinister than lack of professionalism. There was a warning with the Grobelaar/ John Fashanu incidents, and there is no doubt that cynicism in the game will increase now. It brings it home when it's right on your own doorstep like this. I wonder how much this sort of scam has infiltrated our game, have any referees been involved? When you think of some decisions they've made when they have a perfectly clear view of an incident you do wonder could it be more than incompetence?
