The preparations for Pompey’s game with Everton this weekend could be thrown into chaos with the club confirming reports that Harry Redknapp is one of 5 men with current/former connections to Pompey to be arrested…
Reports earlier had said that 5 men aged 69, 60, 55, 48 and 30 had been arrested by police investigating football corruption, with them arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to defraud – even then I worried as these ages seemed to indicated Redknapp could be one of them.
It has now been confirmed that along with Redknapp Pompey chief executive Peter Storrie has also been arrested. According to the Evening Standard’s This Is London website the others to be arrested are former Pompey chairman Milan Mandaric, former Pompey midfielder Amdy Faye and agent Willie McKay.
A spokeswoman for the Police said: ‘five men have been arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to defraud and false accounting as part of an ongoing investigation into football corruption.
‘Three searches are currently under way. Five additional searches at a variety of locations across the country have been concluded’.
Portsmouth football club have confirmed that Redknapp and Storrie were 2 of the men arrested via a Pompey spokesman, who in a statement – despite stressing this matter was prior to the current ownership taking over – confirmed the reports, but said the pair have been given the clubs full support: ‘Portsmouth Football Club can confirm that chief executive Peter Storrie and manager Harry Redknapp have today been asked to help police with their inquiries concerning a matter dating back to 2003.
‘This was prior to the new owner taking control of the club at the beginning of 2006.
‘The club is fully supportive of Peter and Harry who are cooperating fully with City of London Police in this ongoing inquiry.
‘Both are playing major roles in the continued success of Portsmouth Football Club’.
I think it is probably safe to say that our worries that Redknapp might get the England job have gone away, but while I will admit I am worried at this point in time it is too early to speculate where this leaves him and Pompey…
PLAY UP POMPEY!
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