Source: SKY_Sports
Storrie shocked by charges
Peter Storrie has reacted with 'astonishment' after being charged with cheating the public revenue and has vowed to clear his name.
The Portsmouth chief executive has been charged over his alleged involvement in Amdy Faye's move to Fratton Park from Auxerre in 2003.
Storrie has been on bail since being arrested in November 2007 on suspicion of conspiracy to defraud and false accounting.
He maintains that he is completely innocent and hopes the matter can be resolved as quickly as possible.
A statement released to The Guardian read: "Mr Storrie would like to place on record his astonishment at the decision that has been made to charge him with an offence of cheating the public revenue, and bewilderment as to how such a conclusion could be reached concerning the transfer of the player Amdy Faye to Portsmouth Football Club.
"At the time negotiations to acquire this player were concluded, Mr Storrie was on honeymoon and was not directly concerned in the agreement that was reached regarding Faye's acquisition.
"He was at that time and has continued to be the chief executive of the club and remunerated as such. Mr Storrie did not and could not have gained from any cheating of the public revenue given his role within the club and allowing for the fact that he had no proprietary interest in Portsmouth FC.
"Mr Storrie has fully co-operated with the authorities at every stage of this 31-month investigation in the belief and expectation that after an inquiry as protracted as this, the authorities would understand that there was no wrongdoing in any aspect of the player's transfer.
"Mr Storrie will defend the allegations in the strongest possible terms and is entirely confident that he will be exonerated not only of the allegation of cheating the public revenue, but any suggestion that anything untoward took place concerning any transfer dealings in which he was concerned."
The statement concluded: "Mr Storrie now welcomes the opportunity he will have of clearing himself of these allegations to ensure that his unblemished 20-year reputation in football management remains untarnished.
"He will use all available means to bring these proceedings to their proper conclusion as swiftly as possible."
The probe into Storrie's finances was part of a wider investigation by City of London Police and HM Revenue and Customs into corruption in football.
He was one of nine football executives questioned by police, all of whom denied any wrongdoing.
