Tommy Wright signed a new contract as Barnsley assistant boss in the summer

Barnsley have sacked assistant boss Tommy Wright after he was named in a Daily Telegraph investigation alleging corruption in football.

The report included footage of Wright apparently accepting money in return for allegedly helping persuade the Championship club to sign players.

He was suspended on Wednesday while the club investigated the allegations.

But the 50-year-old has now been sacked with immediate effect after a meeting with chief executive Linton Brown.

A Barnsley statement read: "After considering Mr Wright's response to allegations in today's Daily Telegraph about breaching FA rules over player transfers, Mr Wright was dismissed.

"The club was unaware of such matters or involved in any wrongdoing. The club will continue to fully investigate the issues at hand and will co-operate with the regulatory authorities as necessary."

As part of an ongoing investigation into alleged corruption in football, the newspaper claims Wright accepted £5,000 at a meeting in Leeds in August.

A spokesman for Wright has said: "Any suggested acts contrary to criminal law or those of the Football Association and Fifa are categorically denied."

Wright joined Barnsley in February 2015 as number two to former boss Lee Johnson, and continued in the role under current head coach Paul Heckingbottom.

The latest allegations come a day after the Telegraph claimed eight current or former Premier League managers had taken bribes for player transfers.

Sam Allardyce left his post as England manager on Tuesday after claims in the newspaper that he offered advice on how to "get around" rules on player transfers.

The FA, Premier League and EFL have pledged to investigate this week's newspaper allegations.

In a joint statement, they said: "English football takes the governance of the game extremely seriously with integrity being of paramount importance.

"Any substantive allegations will be investigated with the full force of the rules at our disposal, which are wide-ranging and well-developed. In addition, should we find any evidence of criminality we would inform and seek the support of the appropriate statutory authorities."

The League Managers' Association (LMA) has accused the newspaper of holding up any investigation because it has yet to hand over any evidence. It said in a statement it wanted "full and complete unconditional disclosure of all the information it has, immediately".

The Telegraph has said it will pass on all relevant material to the football authorities.

Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink was appointed QPR manager in December 2015

In a separate meeting, QPR manager Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink was filmed apparently negotiating a fee to travel to Singapore to speak to the Far East firm.

The Dutchman, 44, also allegedly discusses the possibility of signing players from them.

He has not been suspended by the Championship club who say "there will be a thorough internal investigation regarding this matter".

QPR's statement added: "However, we have every confidence in our manager and the robust systems and processes the club has in place."

Former Chelsea striker Hasselbaink also issued a statement in which he denied "any accusations of wrongdoing on my part".

"I was approached by Mr McGarvey and Ms Newell of the Telegraph purporting to be players' agents. They offered me a fee to make a speech in Singapore.

"I do not see anything unusual in being offered to be paid to make a speech.

"I did not make any promises in return. I did not ask QPR to purchase any of the players who were said to be managed by Mr McGarvey and Ms Newell and did not and would not recommend the purchase of a player for my personal gain."

Cellino recently took 100% control of Leeds United

Controversial Leeds owner Massimo Cellino, meanwhile, was filmed by the Telegraph offering undercover reporters posing as an investment firm a way to get around FA and Fifa third-party ownership rules.

In a meeting at Leeds' ground, arranged by football agent Pino Pagliara, Cellino apparently offered to sell shares in the Championship club as a means of funding the purchase of players.

The Italian proposed the fictitious firm buy 20% of the club, in return for which it would receive the same percentage of future player sell-on fees.

In the video, Cellino says: "I tell you, I spend eight million this year... on new players.

"You want to finance that? You want to come 20% in that? You got 20% of the player - it's the only way.

"As a shareholder you can finance the club, asking everything you want - percentage - you are allowed to do it in England."

Leeds claimed the footage of their owner amounted to a "non-story" as Cellino "made a perfectly proper suggestion which is entirely consistent with the FA's regulations".

The statement added: "If a company commits money to a club by way of investment, taking on the potential for profit but also the risk for loss, then that is a normal, everyday corporate process.

"This is plainly not a suggestion as to how to circumvent the rules, but rather, an accurate albeit concise explanation of how to operate within the confines of the rules and effectively become 'the club'." </s> Barnsley have sacked assistant manager Tommy Wright after he was implicated in a newspaper sting operation.

Wright is accused of accepting a £5,000 cash "bung" from undercover Daily Telegraph reporters to help a fake Far East firm profit from the Championship club's transfer dealings.

The South Yorkshire club said in a statement: "Barnsley FC today terminated the contract of assistant head coach Tommy Wright with immediate effect.

"A meeting between the club and Mr Wright was held this morning attended by club chief executive Linton Brown. After considering Mr Wright’s response to allegations in today’s Daily Telegraph about breaching FA rules over player transfers, Mr Wright was dismissed.

"The club was unaware of such matters or involved in any wrongdoing. The club will continue to fully investigate the issues at hand and will co-operate with the regulatory authorities as necessary."

Wright was filmed by the Daily Telegraph newspaper apparently being given an envelope of money as part of discussions with the fictitious firm.

"I can just recommend players to you that I've gone and seen, and you will have to do your spicy dealing, whatever you do," Wright is filmed saying.

The revelations are part of the same "Football for Sale" sting which led to Sam Allardyce leaving his post as England manager after being accused of offering advice on how to circumvent Football Association rules on third party ownership.

Former Chelsea striker and current Queens Park Rangers manager Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink is also accused of negotiating a £55,000 fee to work for an agency which wanted to sell players to his club.

Leeds United owner Massimo Cellino, meanwhile, was reportedly filmed offering to sell shares to the fake firm in order to help the undercover reporters get around third party ownership rules.

The Italian is said to have suggested the firm become shareholders in Leeds and in return he would ensure they would receive a percentage of his players’ sell-on fees. </s> Barnsley have suspended assistant head coach Tommy Wright following allegations that he accepted a £5,000 cash bung from a fake Far Eastern firm.

Wright was this evening named by the Daily Telegraph - along with Queens Park Rangers manager Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink and Leeds United owner Massimo Cellino - as part of their investigation into corruption in football.

In a short statement, Barnsley said: “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.”

Wright ended his playing career at Doncaster Rovers in 2000 and also had a spell at Chesterfield as assistant manager and caretaker manager.

The 50-year-old was filmed allegedly receiving a bung of £5,000 in order to help a fake Far Eastern company that wanted to profit from transfers.

Wright reportedly accepted bundles of £20 notes handed to him in an envelope during a meeting in Leeds last month.

Despite denying any wrongdoing, Paul Heckingbottom’s assistant has been suspended whilst the club look into the allegations.

Wright allegedly agreed to help the agent sign up Reds’ players and to recommend that the club sign other players represented by the consortium.

Wright was introduced to undercover reporters by two football agents and sat down for a ‘series of meetings’, according to the Daily Telegraph. Barnsley players Alfie Mawson [now at Swansea City] and Conor Hourihane as well as Aberdeen player Joe Nuttall - none of whom knew they were the subject of the conversations - were discussed during the meeting in a hotel in Leeds.

It seems as if Wright has broken FA rules, which bans officials from accepting “any consideration” from intermediaries in return for “any benefit, service [or] favour” related to their work.

It looks like Wright could have created a conflict of interest between employers Barnsley and the fictitious Far East firm.

Instead of looking for the best possible players for the Oakwell club, the assistant manager could have put himself in a position to be accused of putting the firm’s interests ahead of Barnsley’s.

There are no suggestions the club were aware of either the payment Wright received or his involvement with the firm.

On Wednesday a spokesman for Wright told the Daily Telegraph: “Any suggested acts contrary to criminal law or those of the FA and Fifa are categorically denied.”

The accusations come a day after Sam Allardyce lost his ‘dream job’ as England boss after an undercover sting revealed he agreed to offer advice on how to “get around” rules on player transfers.

It is claimed former Chelsea player Hasselbaink agreed to fly to the Far East to talk to investors for £55,000 a time, whilst controversial Italian Cellino reportedly discussed a way that his club could get around Football Association rules on third-party ownership of players. </s> BARNSLEY have dismissed assistant head coach Tommy Wright following allegations of corruption.

The 50-year-old Scot had been suspended last night “pending an internal investigation” after the Daily Telegraph alleged he had accepted a £5,000 payment from undercover reporters to help place players at the south Yorkshire club.

WATCH: Barnsley maintain focus on derby with Leeds after suspension of Tommy Wright

Video footage released by the Telegraph as part of its investigation into corruption in football appears to show Wright accepting 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. Wright has denied any wrongdoing.

Today, however, Barnsley released the following statement.

It read: “Barnsley FC today terminated the contract of assistant head coach Tommy Wright with immediate effect.

“A meeting between the club and Mr Wright was held this morning attended by Chief Executive Linton Brown. After considering Mr Wright’s response to allegations in today’s Daily Telegraph about breaching FA rules over player transfers, Mr Wright was dismissed.

“The club was unaware of such matters or involved in any wrongdoing. The club will continue to fully investigate the issues at hand and will co-operate with the regulatory authorities as necessary.” </s> Barnsley have sacked their assistant head coach Tommy Wright after reports that he took a £5,000 payment from undercover reporters posing as football agents.

The 50-year-old Scot, who has denied wrongdoing, was suspended immediately after the allegations in the Daily Telegraph came to light on Wednesday but the Championship club have terminated his contract with immediate effect.

A statement published on the Barnsley website said: “A meeting between the club and Mr Wright was held this morning attended by club chief executive Linton Brown. After considering Mr Wright’s response to allegations in today’s Daily Telegraph about breaching FA rules over player transfers, Mr Wright was dismissed.

“The club was unaware of such matters nor was it involved in any wrongdoing. The club will continue to fully investigate the issues at hand and will cooperate with the regulatory authorities as necessary.”

A spokesman for Wright was quoted as saying after the allegations surfaced: “Any suggested acts contrary to criminal law or those of the FA and Fifa are categorically denied.”

The former Leeds, Leicester and Oldham winger was filmed by the newspaper apparently telling reporters posing as representatives of a bogus Asian investment firm that he could place players at the Championship club in return for illicit payments.

“I can just recommend players to you … that I’ve gone and seen, and then you’ll have to do your spicy dealing, whatever you do,” he is filmed saying.

According to the newspaper, when Wright was offered at a subsequent meeting an envelope which it claims contained banknotes, he said “cheers, just put it there”, indicating an adjacent seat.

Barnsley’s swift response to the Telegraph’s report came within an hour of the League Managers Association saying it was frustrated with the newspaper for failing to hand over all of its evidence to the football authorities. </s> PAUL HECKINGBOTTOM has pledged that he and his Barnsley staff and players will firmly focus on Saturday’s derby at Leeds United - amid the fall-out of assistant manager Tommy Wright’s suspension after he was named in a Daily Telegraph investigation alleging corruption in football.

Wright is filmed apparently being given an envelope of money in return for allegedly helping persuade Barnsley to sign players from a fake Far East firm.

The newspaper claims he accepted £5,000 at a meeting in Leeds in August.

The Championship club say he has been suspended “pending an internal investigation into these allegations”.

The Daily Telegraph’s investigation involved Wright being introduced to members of the Far East firm, who were undercover reporters, by two football agents.

On the situation, Heckingbottom said: “I cannot talk about it. It is just a football press conference and the club and myself will make statements later as there are still things ongoing.

“We have to do things properly and speak about things in the right time and right way as it is not nice for anyone.

“Everyone has seen that Tommy has been suspended due to the ongoing investigations and allegations and that is as far as we have got.

“Things are always rolling. But my focus is on the players and the team and that it is.

“There will be a time for me to speak about it later on. At this moment in time, everything I am doing is focused on the players and team, just as it always is.

“I will tell the players that I can’t let my focus slip and that’s my job.”

Heckingbottom says that developments with Wright will affect plans for the weekend game at Elland Road, with a meeting to be held this morning with players about the situation following the suspension of the Reds’ No 2.

He said: “The plan is different. I had one thing sorted this week and it goes out on the window. My focus is the players and on them being alright and comfortable with what is going off and understand their role going forward. Then it will be a case of training and me watching them and chats and conversations.

“My role this morning in terms as a coach will not be tactical things, but more personable things and making sure everyone is okay.” </s> Southampton assistant manager Eric Black gave undercover reporters advice on how to bribe officials at other clubs, the Daily Telegraph has claimed.

Black, 52, was filmed apparently naming staff at other clubs who could be induced to pass on information about players to a company for money.

Such payments would be against Football Association rules.

Black, who oversaw Aston Villa’s final seven Premier League matches last season, has denied the allegations.

“It doesn’t take too much to get these people involved,” Black says in the covert recording.

“They won’t have an awful lot of money.”

Former Aberdeen striker Black quotes a figure of “a couple of grand”, which the Telegraph claims was his suggestion of a suitable payment to an unnamed assistant coach at a Championship side in return for introducing players to the undercover reporters’ fictitious agency.

Black denies suggesting that any football official should be paid, saying that his “couple of grand” comment related to a freelance scout that an agency looking to break into the football industry might approach.

Under FA rules, intermediaries “must not give, offer or seek to offer, any consideration of any kind” to a club official “in return for any benefit, service, favour or any kind of preferential treatment”.

A spokesperson for Black said his client did not recall the possibility of bribing officials being mentioned.

“This was not the purpose of the meeting so far as our client understood it. Any suggestion that he was complicit in such discussions is false,” the spokesperson added.

Southampton said they were “fully committed” to investigating the claims and intend to work closely with the Premier League and FA on them.

Black has held permanent managerial posts at Motherwell and Coventry, as well as having caretaker spells at Birmingham, Sunderland, Blackburn, Rotherham and Villa.

He played for Aberdeen and French side Metz and won three caps for Scotland before he became a coach at Celtic.

The allegations about Black are the latest from the Daily Telegraph’s investigation into corruption in football.

On Thursday, Barnsley assistant boss Tommy Wright was sacked over claims he took cash for trying to engineer certain transfers. Wright has “categorically denied” the claims.

Sam Allardyce left his post as England manager on Tuesday, making a “whole-hearted apology” in the wake of allegations in the newspaper that he offered advice on how to “get around” rules on player transfers.

The FA said it has been liaising with The Daily Telegraph and City of London Police over the allegations, adding it would meet police next week. </s> The Football Association is awaiting “full and unfettered disclosure of all available material from the Daily Telegraph” as the corruption allegations engulfing football saw Southampton assistant manager Eric Black implicated.

The newspaper’s latest claims surround Black, who allegedly offered advice on how to bribe officials at other clubs. He was filmed apparently saying staff at other clubs could possibly be persuaded to give information about a player to a management company for money. He has denied the allegations.

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The FA said it had yet to receive the requested material and wanted to investigate matters fully as soon as possible, after a Telegraph spokesperson said it remained the newspaper’s intention to release the information - but that the police had asked to review it first.

City of London Police later confirmed that discussions had already taken place with the FA and the Telegraph.

The FA’s statement came just hours after Barnsley coach Tommy Wright lost his job following the Telegraph’s report that he took a £5,000 payment from undercover reporters posing as representatives of fake investors from the Far East.

The 50-year-old Scot, who maintains his innocence, was suspended after the allegation came to light on Wednesday but the South Yorkshire club terminated his contract with immediate effect.

Wright becomes the second man named by the Telegraph in its undercover investigation into corruption in football to lose his job, following England’s now ex-manager Sam Allardyce.

Barnsley’s swift response to the report came within an hour of the League Managers Association saying it was frustrated with the newspaper for failing to hand over all of its evidence.

The newspaper has published several allegations over the last three days, including claims that 10 unnamed managers have taken so-called ‘bungs’ in transfer deals.

Southampton pre-empted the implicating of Black with a statement which said the club “intends to work closely with both bodies (The FA and Premier League) 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.”

According to the Telegraph, Black - a distinguished player with Aberdeen during his career - attended a meeting arranged by Scott McGarvey, the football agent who also teed-up the Allardyce meeting. At the meeting, the Telegraph claims the pair explain to an undercover reporter they believe to be a potential investor how club officials could be persuaded to pass on information to a management company.

FA rules state that intermediaries “must not give, offer or seek to offer, any consideration of any kind” to a club official “in return for any benefit, service, favour or any kind of preferential treatment”.

A spokesman for Black told the Telegraph: “[Mr Black] does not recall Mr McGarvey making suggestions that football officials should be paid during transfer negotiations - this was not the purpose of the meeting so far as our client understood it. Any suggestion that he was complicit in such discussions is false.”

McGarvey also denies the allegations with a spokesman saying he will “vigorously defend his reputation”.

QPR manager Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink and Leeds owner Massimo Cellino have also been implicated in separate controversies.

Hasselbaink is alleged to have requested a fee of £55,000 to also work for a phoney Far East firm seeking to sell players to the club.

A club statement confirmed it has started an internal investigation into the matter, with chief executive Lee Hoos and director of football Les Ferdinand meeting the 44-year-old Dutchman at their Harlington training ground.

“First and foremost, the club reiterates that we take these allegations very seriously,” the statement read.

“As part of the ongoing investigation, the club will need to view an unedited version of the video footage and full transcript of the discussions that took place.”

Hasselbaink has strongly denied the claims and is understood to be deeply upset by them.

Meanwhile, Leeds dismissed the Cellino allegations as a “non-story”.

The Italian, who denies any wrongdoing, appears to suggest to members of a fictitious Asian firm that they become shareholders in the club in order to receive portions of players’ transfer fees.

“This is plainly not a suggestion as to how to circumvent the rules but rather an accurate, albeit concise, explanation of how to operate within the confines of the rules,” a club statement read.

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DOWNLOAD THE SCOTSMAN APP ON ITUNES OR GOOGLE PLAY </s> PAUL HECKINGBOTTOM has stressed that he and his Barnsley players will ‘stay strong’ amid unsavoury national headlines that culminated in the club’s dismissal of assistant head coach Tommy Wright following corruption allegations.

Wright was sacked after a club investigation having being filmed by undercover Daily Telegraph reporter, when he appeared to accept a £5,000 cash ‘bung’ after allegedly agreeing to help Barnsley sign players from a fake Far East firm.

The newspaper had filmed the operation as part of a 10-month investigation into alleged corruption in football. Wright has denied any wrongdoing.

He was introduced to undercover reporters by two football agents and reportedly agreed in a series of meetings to identify players who could be “put into” Barnsley and help get players to sign up with the fictitious firm.

Video footage appeared to show Wright accept “a bundle of £20 notes” handed to him in an envelope during a meeting in Leeds on August 11.

The Telegraph also reported that club owner Patrick Cryne had agreed to meet a representative of that purported Far Eastern company looking to invest in football, together with head coach Heckingbottom and Wright.

But there was no suggestion that Cryne, Heckingbottom or anyone connected with the club had been aware of the payment to Wright or his arrangements with the bogus firm.

The club announced the decision to terminate Wright’s contract with immediate effect via a statement yesterday lunch-time, with the Reds’ assistant coach having earlier met with chief executive Linton Brown.

A statement read: “After considering Mr Wright’s response to allegations in today’s (Thursday’s) Daily Telegraph about breaching FA rules over player transfers, Mr Wright was dismissed.

“The club was unaware of such matters or involved in any wrongdoing. The club will continue to fully investigate the issues at hand and will co-operate with the regulatory authorities as necessary.”

Heckingbottom spoke to the players about the whole issue at a team meeting yesterday morning before trying to draw a line under the matter ahead of tomorrow’s derby at Leeds United.

The Reds’ head coach has pledged that the events of a difficult last day or so for the club will not impact on the players come kick-off at Elland Road – or serve as a potential excuse.

He said: “Our job is on the pitch and we have to stay strong and focused. We have shown that we are good at that, whether in game pressure situations or things rumbling on in the background.

“Some things are really hard to deal with. But you deal with them and get on with it and that is what we will do again.

“There are loads of distractions that do not come out. Some are not nice to deal with, some are minor. There are always things going off – that is the nature of it.

“Whether it is big news or personal issues for people, there’s always difficult things to deal with. It is just the nature of the job.

“Obviously, this is a big nationwide thing at the minute and everyone is interested and rightly so; it is a big deal.

“But we cannot get carried away with anything going off and we have to keep doing our job and preparing properly.

“If our focus shifts, we will come unstuck. It is our job that everyone is on task.

“If you want an excuse to fail, you can find one. You can find one every day, if you want.

“The people who succeed and go on to be great in whatever they do find an excuse why they are not going to fail.”

Weekend opponents Leeds were also the subject of newspaper allegations, with owner Massimo Cellino filmed by undercover reporters where he appeared to offer an investment deal to a fictitious firm as a way of avoiding Football Association rules on third-party ownership of players.

Leeds swiftly dismissed the report as a “non-story” in a statement, insisting that Cellino had breached no regulations during the conversation.

Head coach Garry Monk stressed that he also felt that the club’s response was “appropriate”, with no case to answer.

But in terms of the wider topic of corruption in football, which is hogging the headlines in the wake of the allegations that saw Sam Allardyce lose his job as England manager, Monk believes that everyone connected with football need to do what it takes to preserve the game’s integrity.

He said: “If these things are proven right, it needs to be cleaned and wiped out of football. What is important to me is the integrity of football.

“I grew up as a young kid watching football and have been a fan in the stands and lucky enough to have a professional career and seen every single league, the struggles and the highs.

“The biggest part of that is the integrity in what we do and honesty in which we do it and we have always been very conscious of that in this country.

“Football needs to be taken care of. We all have that responsibility; managers, players, agents, fans, owners – everyone involved.

“We have a responsibility to make sure this game is held in the highest regard.”
Barnsley F.C. fires assistant manager Tommy Wright as further allegations of corruption in English football are reported.