London - Southampton assistant manager Eric Black became the
latest figure in English football to be accused of corruption on Thursday in a
newspaper sting that had already forced Sam Allardyce to quit as England boss.
According to the Daily Telegraph, Black suggested that
"a couple of grand" $2 593 might persuade a colleague at another club
to pass on information about players to a company that wanted to represent
footballers.
Football Association rules ban such payments and state club
officials such as Black should immediately report any potential breach to the
FA, English football's governing body.
Black told the Telegraph he denied suggestions football
officials should be paid during transfer negotiations.
Prior to Thursday's publication of the Telegraph's latest
revelations, Premier League side Southampton issued a statement saying:
"Southampton Football Club has today been made aware by The Daily
Telegraph that, as part of their on-going investigation, the club's assistant
first team manager Eric Black will feature as part of an article in tomorrow's
(Friday's) paper.
"The club immediately requested to be sent, by The
Daily Telegraph, the details of this article, but the newspaper declined to
share any further information.
"We have today contacted The FA and The Premier League,
and intend to work closely with both bodies on this matter when the facts
become clear.
"Southampton Football Club is fully committed to
investigating any situation that directly or indirectly relates to our club,
employees or the wider community."
Black was appointed as assistant to Saints manager Claude
Puel in pre-season.
Earlier on Thursday, Championship club Barnsley said they
had sacked assistant manager Tommy Wright as a result of a previous Telegraph
story.
Wright was suspended by the second-tier club on Wednesday
after the Telegraph alleged he had accepted a $6 500 "bung", or illegal payment, during a series of meetings with
undercover reporters posing as representatives of a fake Far East company.
But the biggest 'scalp' of all came with the Telegraph's
initial revelation that saw Allardyce's reign as England manager sensationally
brought to an abrupt close after just one game following an indiscreet
discussion with the undercover reporters.
The 61-year-old was secretly filmed giving advice on how to
circumvent transfer rules and mocking his England predecessor Roy Hodgson's
speech impediment.
Allardyce, appointed England manager in July on a 3 million-a-year contract, also agreed to travel to Singapore and Hong Kong as an ambassador for their fictitious firm for 400 000.