Ex-england footballer tells court of ‘weird, untrustworthy’ agents

A FORMER England footballer told the “football for sale” trial yesterday how he had a “weird” meeting with two “untrustworthy” football agents who offered him £10,000 a week to sign with them and join Leeds United.

Alfie Mawson, 25, claimed Tommy Wright, then Barnsley FC’S assistant head coach, suggested he meet two agents despite already having an agent.

The defender told Southwark Crown Court he met Giuseppe “Pino” Pagliara and Dax Price at a Manchester hotel in May 2016. The agents are both charged with two counts of offering to pay a bribe following a Daily Telegraph investigation. Mr Wright is accused of accepting a £5,000 “bung” from an undercover reporter investigating corruption in football.

The court heard the defendants were trying to broker a “gentlemen’s agreement” about representing Mr Mawson, then a 22-year-old rising star. The centre-back, who now plays for Fulham, said: “I sat down and they said there was a club which wanted to sign me from Barnsley for £10,000 a week. For this to take its course, I would have to sign with Dax as the agent as he has a good relationship with Leeds.”

Mr Mawson went on to join Swansea and was called up for the England squad but did not play. He said he was offered “bonuses” for games he played and goals he scored. “They said I was doing well … scoring goals and winning games,” he continued.

Asked by Brian O’neill, QC, for the prosecution, what he made of the pair, he said: “[They were] not really the most trustworthy, a bit weird with the approach. It was not straightforward.”

After the meeting he texted Mr Price saying he felt a “snake” for going behind the back of his agent, whom he called to apologise for attending the meeting without their knowledge.

Mr Price, 64, and Mr Pagliara, 64, deny paying and facilitating a bribe. Mr Wright, 53, denies two charges of accepting a bribe. The trial continues.