No bent games in Blighty? Don't bet on it.

People may view match-fixing as a foreign issue, but British football must not be ignorant of similar problems at home, writes Graeme Long.

What might have been: Tony Kay (second left) saw his one off flutter cost him his career.

The names of the players that day are ingrained in the mind of pretty much every football fan: Gordon Banks, Alan Ball, Nobby Stiles, Bobby Moore....Tony Kay? Don't worry if you don't recognise that last one, you won't be alone; what could have been a household name linked to English football's greatest hour is synonymous only with on of its saddest “what might have been” tales. 

Born and raised in Sheffield, boyhood Owls fan Kay made his debut for Wednesday aged 17, and by the 1958-59 campaign the skillful midfielder was an integral part of a side that won the Second Division and promotion to the top flight. A very respectable fifth-place finish was achieved the following season, before even better a year later: Kay was Wednesday's star man and an ever-present as only Spurs' famous double-winning side stopped them taking the title.

By now he was perhaps English football's hottest property, and in December 1962 an ambitious and big-spending Everton (honestly, ask your granddad) broke the British transfer record to take Kay to Merseyside. He started each of the 19 remaining games of that season and was an immediate success, brilliant in an Everton side that took the title for the first time in 24 years.

That summer newly-appointed England manager Alf Ramsey gave Kay his England debut, which he duly marked with a goal. So, 25 years old, cap on the mantlepiece next to your league winner's medal, the England manager wants to make you a key part of a squad gearing up for a World Cup on home soil. What could possibly go wrong?

Unfortunately for Kay, things were about to go very wrong indeed. In December 1962, just a couple of weeks before his move to Everton, Kay and two other young Wednesday players had bet £50 each on their team to be beaten by Ipswich. All three played in the game, and, as far as reports and their own testimony is to be believed, gave 100%. One of the saddest aspects of the tale is just how naïve they appear to have been: to this day, Kay maintains the bet was proposed to him as, effectively, an insurance policy against defeat as Wednesday "always lost at Portman Road”. 

"Punters can now bet on levels of football not available five years ago, featuring youth players or semi-pros who get paid little more than expenses"

In 1964 the story was passed to the Sunday People by Jimmy Gauld, the ex-pro who had approached the three men with the idea for placing the bet in the first place, and who had now decided that selling “England Star In Match Fix Shock” headlines to a newspaper was a better way to make money than gambling on football. Gauld even attempted to secretly record Kay talking about the bet in a poorly-executed( but far ahead of its time) 'sting', similar to that which the News of the World would still be using to catch out greedy, naïve sportsmen 50 years later. 

At the end of a lengthy investigation the three players were not only banned from all aspects of the game for life (unable even to attend matches as spectators or play at amateur level), but sentenced to four months in jail. As his former team-mates and friends danced around Wembley with the World Cup trophy in 1966, 28-year-old Kay was fresh out of prison, unemployed and completely ostracised from the game that had been his life since he left school.

The story of Tony Kay is an interesting one for many reasons, one of which being that, the rights and wrongs of the case and the punishment aside, it still seems shocking that a leading player in English football could be convicted of such a thing. Match-fixing is something most fans in this country have probably never really thought about, and for good reason: the British game is probably as clean as any in the world. In Italy, for example, aside from the major scandals of 1980 (which led to a two-year ban for future World Cup winner Paolo Rossi - wonder what Tony Kay made of that?) and 2006, incidents that would cause outcry in England are common practice. Put simply, if one team need a result in a game that matters little to their opponents, chances are they get it.

For example, the final day of the 2006/07 season and two fairly poor sides who need to win to stay up, Siena and Reggina, have home games against two sides who have already secured top 4 finishes, Lazio and AC Milan. Both relegation threatened sides start their matches at odds of 2/7 (for the non-betting folk, this is roughly what price Arsenal or Man United would be at home to, say, Stoke), and both win. One Italian journalist wrote that Siena were so inept in their attempts to convert the many chances they were presented with that the Lazio players “looked disgusted” with them. For those who find watching paint dry too exhilarating, I recommend watching the last 20 minutes of an end-of-season Serie B match in which a draw suits both teams.

France, of course, had the famous case which saw Marseille relegated and stripped of titles in the early 1990s. In Germany, referee Robert Hoyzer was jailed in 2005 after admitting fixing German Cup and lower-league games. Spanish side Hercules' promotion to La Liga last year is shrouded in suspicion amid allegations that they bought results in their promotion push: two rival teams officially complained, and the Spanish FA only dropped their investigation after a judge intervened to deny them access to supposedly incriminating taped conversations.

The point of this is not to denigrate 'Cheating Johnny Foreigner', but to highlight how important it is that we don't get complacent in Britain. Football fans in this country will bear shitty signings, poor performances, dodgy chairman, pretty much anything. But can you imagine finding out that 3-0 defeat that ruined your weekend a few months ago was bent? Where would that leave you as a paying spectator? I honestly cannot think of anything that would do more damage to the game than a proven incident or two of match-fixing, and we shouldn't presume that we are safe from it just because that sort of thing “doesn't happen” here.

It is perhaps hard to envisage at the top level of the game (if only because, well, how much would you have to pay someone on £3million a year to run the risk of pissing it up the wall?), but the FA and other authorities need to do everything they can to ensure it doesn't creep in lower down the pyramid. Punters can now bet on levels of football in a high-street bookie that were not available to them even five years ago, featuring youth players or semi-pros who get paid little more than expenses. 

There has already been a Blue Square North game this season that was subject to such suspicious betting patterns with a number of different betting firms (the bets being for a team to be winning at half-time but subsequently lose the game) that some have refused to pay out winning bets until the match is investigated. Of course there is also responsibility on the part of the bookmakers, and big strides are being made in this area: in recent years they have begun sharing information with each other and with governing bodies, which they have never done before. More than anything though, it is absolutely vital that the authorities don't bury their head in the sand over this, because the very last thing the game in this country needs is a 21^st Century Tony Kay.

Why I love Micah Hyde.

Jon Rogers waxes lyrical over a lower-league legend.

Hyde spent 17 years in professional football before moving to non-league.

This evening, my beloved (at least as beloved as a side that has just been hammered 8-1 at Lowestoft can be) Hendon travel to Billericay Town in their latest Ryman League Premier Division match. Unfortunately, I am unable to attend but I am looking forward to the return with such keen anticipation for one reason and one reason alone. Micah Hyde.

Now 36, Hyde signed for ‘Ricay in the summer after being released by Barnet. During a career that was mostly plyed in the second tier of English football, he also made 15 international appearances for Jamaica between 2001 and 2004. Not only that, Hyde holds the distinction of being the best midfielder I’ve ever seen live, thus making him an instant favourite.

A former youth teammate at Brimsdown Rovers of David Beckham, Hyde then actually moved to Hendon’s youth set-up from where he managed to get himself noticed, and then signed by Cambridge United, who at this time were in the old Division One, along with Junior Hunter. Whilst Hunter was back at Hendon in 1995 for a solitary first team appearance, Hyde went on to make 120 first team outings before signing for Watford for £250,000 in July 1997.

It was watching him on my occasional visits with Watford-supporting friends that I first came across Hyde in the flesh. I knew of him at Cambridge through Championship Manager of course, but I didn’t know just what a good player he was. He had everything. He could tackle, he could run with the ball, he could shoot from distance and boy, could he pass. Long or short, it was rare that he gave the ball away. Not only that, but he looked elegant in possession and as far as I’m concerned, there is nothing more beautiful than a player who makes playing football look like art. When he had the ball, it was almost as if time stopped whilst he decided where to pass it. All that was missing when watching him was the Mogwai soundtrack.

"Hyde completely bossed the midfield, content to collect the ball deep and spread it around the pitch. It was almost Hoddle-at-Swindon-esque."

At the end of the 2003/4 season, Hyde was deemed surplus to requirements at Vicarage Road and moved north to Burnley and then two-and-a-half years later, he made the trip to join Darren Ferguson and Darragh McAnthony’s Posh revolution at Peterborough United. This is where our paths crossed again.

By virtue of winning a charity auction, I picked up a couple of complimentary tickets for the end of the 2006/7 season at Peterborough. They cost me £10, Dave and I chose their home game with Hereford United and no sooner had we taken our seats and the Posh had scored. They went on to win 3-0 and Hyde completely bossed the midfield. He was no longer the all action hero, but content to collect the ball deep and spread it around to all areas of the pitch. It was almost Hoddle-at-Swindon-esque. I was exhilarated afterwards and couldn’t stop lauding his performance. He made Posh tick and when they ticked that well they purred.

After a short spell at Woking in 2009, Micah spent last season successfully battling against relegation with Barnet before dropping out of the full time game in the summer and signing for Craig Edwards’ Billericay Town. He is sure to give our short-staffed midfield a good working over tonight, but if even 1% of his class rubs off on Messrs Maclaren (plural), Diedhiou or Busby then it will all have been more than worthwhile. Football needs more midfielders like Micah Hyde.

It's the hope that kills you.

Queen's Park Rangers' lofty perch in the Championship may bring them long-awaited success, but it's doing nothing for Robert Donnellan's heart rate.

Kevin Gallen: not Jesus.

As what is widely known as a “plastic paddy” (we prefer the term Anglo-Irish thank you very much), crushing disappointment comes quite naturally for me. The weekend before last, as last-gasp glory beckoned for Ireland at Landsdowne Road, and Sean Cronin knocked-on with history beckoning, many would have lost their cool. A fit of rage which is usually most becoming of my character.

However, I merely slumped into my chair, despondent, and yet strangely at ease with the disappointment. Almost comfortable.

I must of course apologise for bringing up rugby. You’ll find I’m one of the few people as ecclesiastical about egg chasing as I am about the association code. Please don’t hold it against me.

This ease with disappointment has held me in good stead for a life as a Queen's Park Rangers fan. My dad has always said that you can only truly love something if you have suffered for it. In which case, he must really fucking love QPR. In his 52 years, God has only seen fit to give him a League Cup win in 1968 (which, slightly too young to attend, his father half inched his ticket for a mate) and a FA cup final.

All I have had is a play off final in which the Almighty decided like Abraham on the mountain to test me with a 119^th minute Cardiff winner and another season in Division Two.

Between us we’ve witnessed agonisingly missing out on the top division title on the last day of the season, our director being held at shotgun point to sign over the club, two relegations (which led a primary school aged me to, like Peter denying Jesus thrice, except my Jesus was Kevin Gallen, pooh-pooh the tormenting mob desperate to inflict ritual humiliation on those who had the misfortune to not be able to align living in north west London with supporting Man Utd and Liverpool) and false dawn after false dawn.

"I though being five points clear would be exhilarating. Instead it's like being the fox in a fox hunt."

This was finally all compounded by in the moment of our salvation, saved from the brink by some very rich men, they then proceeded to turn us into a national joke. I remember singing with all the strength in my lungs “GIGI DI CANIO! BERNIE AND FLAVIO!”. Gigi was seven bosses ago now. I can’t remember the last time I said Briatore’s name without being preceded or suffixed with a torrent of the vilest profanity.

“So you guys are favourites to go up then?”. These words put a chill into the depths of my soul. Cast from the club that even managed to turn a golden ticket into a quintessential clusterfuck to out and out favourites does not sit easily. The stress of expectation is telling. I thought being five points clear at the top would be an exhilarating experience. Instead it is like being the fox in a fox hunt. A pack of rabid, Premiership-chasing hounds unrelentingly on your tail. If one of them falls behind, another, more bloodthirsty hound steps into its place. Only three defeats all season, and yet still they chase and harry. Every Saturday, Tuesday, Friday (in fact I think Thursday is the only day we haven’t played on this season) I feel like Michael Biehn being chased by Arnie in a nine-month long edition of Terminator.

I honestly do not know how fans of the Big Four do it. Obviously I want QPR to win every time, but that gap between desire and expectation is a painful one if you’re not accustomed to it. Every draw feels like our number’s up. We’ve finally been rumbled. "Your references have been checked and you were never at Havard at all you fraud," they'll say. I’m not sure how much more my nerves can take. I want to shut my eyes and wake up May 8^th 6pm in The White Horse with a stream of Guinness in front of me, surrounded by light in the Promised Land. Instead, I have another two and a half months of palpitations, all tied into that one binding thought that keeps all of us football fans from the very bottom to the very top going through all the trauma. Maybe. Just maybe.

Whatever happened to the 1999 West Ham youth side?

Sean Lightbown


As far as future golden generations go, the West Ham under-19s team of 1998/99 promised much. That season they became one of the few academy teams to win the league and cup double. The two-legged cup final, against Coventry City, was a rbmarkably one-sided affair. West Ham won 9-0 on aggregate, 3-0 away at Highfield Road first and then a thumping 6-0 triumph at Upton Park (Seems like Chris Kirkland's habit for conceding bucket loads started early). You can see the goals from the first leg here and second leg here.


A cursory glance at the starting eleven sees two names immediately stick out: the midfield pairing of young Michael Carrick and Joe Cole, the former in particular pulling the strings in the final's second leg. But what of the Bertie Brayleys and Stevland Anguses of this world, who along with Carrick and Cole were a part of one of the most talented youth sides seen in England since the Busby Babes and Fergie's Fledglings? Well, let's find out...

Bertie Brayley makes it 3-0 in the final against Coventry. 

Stephen Bywater
Ok, so you probably have heard of this one. Bywater wasn't exactly the star of the show as West Ham ran riot at the other end, but the Manchester lad went on to make over 50 appearances for the Hammers, the majority coming after the club was relegated from the Premier League in 2003. However, the arrival of Roy Carroll and return of Shaka Hislop meant the stopper had to seek playing time elsewhere. After a couple of loan spells at Coventry and Derby he signed for the latter in the summer of 2006. He helped the Rams gain promotion to the Premier League in his first season, but found himself loaned out to Ipswich the next year as Derby were sent straight back down. After facing competition again from old foe Roy Carroll, who Derby had signed before the new season, Bywater eventually established himself as first-choice in 2008, a position he is yet to relinquish.


Adam Newton
Attacking full back and scorer of the goal in the second leg which drew a familiar 'OWWWWWWWW' of approval from commentator Martin Tyler. However, Newton would only make two substitute appearances for West Ham's first team, and after a hat full of loan-outs was released in 2002. He signed for Peterborough, and became a cornerstone of their defence for six years. During his time with Posh he was called up to the St Kitts and Nevis squad for their 2006 World Cup qualifying campaign. The arrival of Russell Martin from Wycombe however saw his first team chances limited, and he joineed Brentford after having his contract terminate. Despite being named club captain and helping The Bees win the League Two title in 2009 his one-year contract was not renewed. He is currently plying his trade with Blue Square Premier side Luton Town.


Sam Taylor
Taylor left football completely after being released by West Ham. His whereabouts are currently unknown.


Terrell Forbes
The defender failed to break into the Hammers' first team and after being released was snapped up by QPR in 2001. He spent three years with the club as a regular starter, and in the final year of his contract helped them to automatic promotion to the Championship. He spent subsequent seasons with Grimsby and Oldham before landed at Yeovil in 2006, spending four seasons with the South West outfit, as well as scoring his first career goal in 2009 with the club. The eagle-eyed or just plain sad of you may have noticed Forbes help Leyton Orient draw against 'the best team in the world' Arsenal at the weekend in the FA Cup, having been with the East London outfit since the start of the season. I hope he likes Vegas.


Izzy Iriekpen
One of the youngest in this side, Iriekpen was cruelly blighted by knee injuries during his time and was released without playing. He was snapped up by Swansea in 2003, but again was blighted by serious ankle and knee injuries. Despite this, he managed 137 appearances for the Welsh side before leaving in acrimony, having labelled Swansea's new contract offer a disgrace. He thenspent two years with Scunthorpe before short stays with Bristol City and Hamilton Academical, eventually leaving the Scottish club for family reasons. He is currently without a club and trying to regain fitness. If you want any more then you can catch up with him on twitter.


Stevland Angus
A scorer in that final as well as having a name like a Norwegian burger-maker, Angus spent time on loan with Brentford before being released by the Hammers in 2001. He was picked up by Cambridge United where he became a mainstay for four years, making 135 appearances. He fell out of favour with manager Hérve Renard in 2005, leading to a series of loan moves and eventually a permanent transfer to Grays Athletic. More moves to numerous non-league clubs followed, as well as a single appearance for Barnet. His last known club was Bishop's Strortford, whom he left at the end of the 2009-10 season.


Richard Garcia
Like Bywater, Garcia has forged a solid career in professional football since 1999. The striker's form in that year's Youth Cup was phenomenal, tallying eight goals and scoring in every round. He made a number of appearances for the Hammers, particularly after they were relegated in 2003, but he failed to nail down a starting spot and was signed by Colchester United a year later. He thrived with the U's, helping them seal promotion to the Championship. After seeing out his three-year deal he signed for Hull City, playing part in the side that beat Bristol City in the play-off final to reach the Premiership. He has remained with the Tigers since, and has also been capped by his native Australia.


Albert 'Bertie' Brayley
The midfielder-cum-striker with a name like a 1950s half-back showed a poacher's instinct in the West Ham academy, but was released without making a senior appearance. He was snapped up by lower-league Swindon Town, but could only muster a handful of substitute appearances before finding himself in the non-league game. He has appeared for over a dozen clubs since leaving Swindon in 2002, including Canvey Island, Braintree and Margate. On top of this, he has managed a handful of appearances for the England Learning Disabilities team. Brayley continues his nomadic footballing career with Harlow Town, who signed him from Billericay last week.


Anwar Uddin
Defender Uddin became frustrated with lack of opportunities at Upton Park, and after a very short stay at Sheffield Wednesday, ended up at Bristol Rovers in 2002. He made a handful of appearances in two seasons for Rovers and signed for Dagenham & Redbridge in 2004. He went on to serve the Daggers for six years, as well as being club captain and making nearly 200 apperances. This year he joined League Two side Barnet and has already been made club captain.