I’m in the clear. Now I want the police to say sorry
Imrie says reputation is ruined
Gordon Blackstock Hamilton Accies coach Dougie Imrie has demanded an apology from police after they dropped an investigation into claims he was involved in match fixing.
The former winger was at the centre of allegations he deliberately got himself booked during games to land betting payouts.
Imrie’s home was raided by detectives at 6.30am while his partner Emma was in the property alone with their young son.
He was accompanying a young player on trial at an English Premiership club and was arrested when he returned the next day.
The couple have since split and the 37-year-old says the fall-out caused by the probe “didn’t help” their relationship. Former Accies star Imrie, who was booked 118 times in 438 senior matches before retiring last year, said: “I hope that I’ll see an apology from police.
“If I didn’t have football, I don’t know what I would’ve done. Football has kept me sane. “I’ve split up from my partner during this. The investigation wasn’t the reason but it certainly didn’t help.
“I was just left with this hanging over me. Accies have stood by me during this and I’m very grateful.”
Police swooped on Imrie’s Lanark home on February 26.
He was on the verge of being appointed manager of a club in Europe when the betting storm erupted.
The young coach was crushed when the job offer was withdrawn.
During his police interviews, he learned the allegations centred on claims a prominent bookmaker had paid out more than £11,000 on bets that he would be booked.
Imrie, who also played for St Mirren and Inverness Caledonian Thistle, said officers focused on an Accies match against Celtic
Accused of match-fixing, my family terrorised by police, arrested in front of stadium and my career is in tatters but.. at Parkhead in January 2019, which they lost 3- 0.
He was shown a yellow card for a foul on Celts captain Scott Brown in the 82nd minute.
He said: “I played nearly 500 games in football, many in Scotland’s top league. I’d never jeopardise that for a few pounds.
“It made no sense that police were looking at match fixing over my bookings. There was no real money on betting I’d be booked. It happened to me all the time compared to other players.”
He added: “Despite all I’ve done, the first stories that comes up on the internet when you put my name into Google, is ‘ Dougie Imrie arrested over match fixing’.
“That’s not right. I said from the start I hadn’t done anything wrong. I’ve never bet on a football match during my career.
“At the time, I felt as though I’d already been tried in the public’s opinion and found guilty before I was charged.”
The police investigation involved raids at other homes across central Scotland.
A spokesman for the force said : “Police Scotland have concluded inquiries and at present no individual has been charged in connection with this.”
Hamilton Accies said: “We’re pleased police have finished their investigation into this matter. As a club, we never doubted Dougie’s honesty and integrity.”
It’s not right. I said from start I’d done nothing wrong