POOLS FACE CHARGES ON THREE TRANSFERS
FOOTBALL ASSOCIATION PROBE AGENT INVOLVEMENT IN TRIO OF 2016 DEALS
Hartlepool United are facing FA charges over the involvement of agents in three of their transfers.
The charges relate to the signings of Padraig Amond, Lewis Alessandra and Nicky Deverdics, all of which were completed in June 2016.
Pools have admitted the charges regarding the Deverdics transfer, but deny those relating to the Amond and Alessandra deals.
It is alleged that Pools disguised payments to agents as scouting fees and did not properly complete transfer paperwork to indicate that intermediaries had been involved in the deals for Amond and Alessandra.
Charges have also been levied against the Deverdics transfer, with Pools charged with “concealing or misrepresenting the reality and/or substance of matters relating to the transaction”
Former chief executive Russ Green, now at Rochdale, has also been charged in relation to the deals – as well as two agents.
In the case of the deals which brought Amond and Alessandra to Victoria Park, it is alleged that Pools “agreed to make a payment... for Intermediary activity which they intended to conceal and/or misrepresent as a scouting agreement”.
Hartlepool have also been charged with providing “an IM1/NR form to the FA incorrectly declaring no intermediary was used”.
Clubs have to submit paperwork to the FA indicating whether or not agents have been involved in transfer deals.
Pools have denied all of these charges and have requested a paper hearing.
Green has also been charged in relation to the payments made to agents during the transfers of Amond and Alessandra, and has admitted the charges.
Pools have been also been charged separately for the Deverdics deal, with the charges stating that “Hartlepool United breached regulations on working with Intermediaries by concealing or misrepresenting the reality and/or substance of matters relating to the ... transaction .”.
It is also alleged that the club “failed to ensure that all relevant contracts and documents contained the name, signature and registration number of each intermediary carrying out activity in relation to the ... transaction ”.
Pools have admitted these charges and have requested a paper hearing.
Meanwhile, Green was charged with failing “to comply with FA Regulations on working with intermediaries by concealing or misrepresenting the reality and/or substance of matters relating to a transaction” which he has accepted.
A statement from Pools said: “Hartlepool United can confirm that we are co-operating with the Football Association over charges relating to a previously held investigation.”