Leeds, QPR, Barnsley implicated in bungs scandal

Daniel Storey

Barnsley have suspended assistant head coach Tommy Wright following allegations he took a £5,000 bung to help place players at his club.

The Daily Telegraph alleged that Wright accepted the money during a series of meetings with a fake Far East firm in which he agreed to help sign players part-owned by the firm.

The Championship club said in a statement: “Barnsley FC is aware of allegations made by the Telegraph against Tommy Wright.

“The club has today suspended Tommy pending an internal investigation into these allegations.”

The allegation forms part of the Telegraph’s undercover investigation into corruption in football, which on Tuesday accounted for England manager Sam Allardyce.

Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink, the manager of Queens Park Rangers,  was filmed agreeing to represent the same firm. He also appeared to agree to signing players chosen by the firm, although money was not discussed.

Finally, Massimo Cellino, the owner of Leeds United,  discussed getting around FA rules on the third-party ownership of players. The Telegraph video shows Cellino offering to sell a stake in Leeds to the firm, who would then get a cut of transfer fees.