BRIBE OFFERED

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 80, Issue 300, 18 December 1937, Page 4

BRIBE OFFERED

SOCCER GOALKEEPER. £750 TO LOSE CUP MATCHES. An offer of a bribe to Fred Biddlestone, the Aston Villa goalkeeper, to lose Cup matches in which he may appear was reported last month, states The Sporting Life. Biddlestone received an anoymous letter bearing a Belfast postmark, passages from which were as follows : “As goalkeeper of Aston Villa, you occupy a vital position, and if you are inclined to listen to reason your salary can be considerably augmented. As one of a syndicate, it is our intention to bring about a few shock results. Our experience is that it is the shockers that upset the football coupons. The plan is to arrange for the leading clubs to lose at home to the lower clubs (the lower the better.) “For every match you are prepared to lose at home we are prepared to pay you the sum of £750, with a further £250, by way of a bonus, if everything comes out okay. In the course of a few days a certain party will sound you as to whether you are agreeable or not. If this proposition has no appeal to you, we would ask you as a favour to kindly destroy this letter, but we think you would be very, foolish to let such an easy way of making money slip past you. It is when the Cup-ties come round that we intend to reap a rich harvest with a few sensational results.” Biddlestone reported receipt of the letter to officials of the Villa club.