Hateley: I was offered bribe

23 February 2011 10:30

Former England striker Mark Hateley claims he was offered a financial incentive not to play for Rangers in a Champions League clash against Marseille in 1993.

The two teams met in the group stages of the competition, whose format at that time saw the winner of two groups of four qualify directly for the final.

Marseille did just that, before beating AC Milan 1-0 to win their only Champions League trophy to date, but Hateley has now suggested he was offered money not to appear in the group fixture - an offer he turned down.

In an interview which will be broadcast on ITV this evening, Hateley said: "It was a friend of a friend, who had got in touch via certain routes, basically asking me not to play.

"It would be financially rewarding for you, he said, should I not play in the Marseille game.

"He was not an agent I knew, but another agent had given him the number. It was a French-speaking person, offering me large sums of money not to play against Marseille.

"It points the finger at a person, or persons, working within that club not wanting me to play."

Marseille won the domestic league in the same season but were stripped of their title following match-fixing allegations against their former owner, Bernard Tapie.

Source: PA