Brums: Probe centers on 2 players

BEIJING, April 11 -- English Premier League side Birmingham City said yesterday a police investigation of co-owner David Sullivan and director Karren Brady centered around payments to two players and a football agent.

In a statement to the stock exchange, the club said there was no allegation that any director of the club had benefited financially from the deals or that there was any material financial impact on the club.

It added the club and its directors were co-operating fully with the police in the investigation and it had asked the London Stock Exchange to resume trading in the company's shares.

Earlier in the day, the London Stock Exchange said trading in the Premier League club's shares on its junior market AIM was temporarily suspended. The shares closed at 35.5 pence on Wednesday, giving it a market capitalization of 28.9 million pounds.

City of London Police said that two people had been released on bail.

"A 59-year-old man and a 39-year-old woman were today arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to defraud and false accounting, as part of the City of London Police's ongoing investigation into football corruption," it said.

"A total of seven other people remain on bail in connection with the investigation."

Previous arrests include Harry Redknapp, manager of FA Cup finalists Portsmouth, in November. He has always insisted that he has done nothing wrong and has not been charged.

Clubs investigated last year include Newcastle United and Scottish league leaders Rangers.

The club, which had its stadium searched by police last month, added that the investigation was regarding the possible non payment of tax and social security.

Brady has been managing director of Birmingham since 1993, when she became the youngest person at age 23 and first woman to hold such a post at a publicly traded British company.

Others arrested before include former Portsmouth chairman Milan Mandaric, who is now at Leicester; former Portsmouth player Amdy Faye and his agent, Willie McKay; and former Portsmouth chief executive Peter Storrie.

The probe is believed to be centered on Faye's transfers from Auxerre to Portsmouth in August 2003 and from Portsmouth to Newcastle in January 2005. Faye joined Charlton in August 2006.

(Source: Shanghai Daily/Agencies)