Hardy aiming to expose bogus agents

ATHLETIC have exposed an elaborate scam in which overseas players are being duped out of money in return for a trial at Boundary Park.

Chief executive Alan Hardy is leading the fight against the individuals who are passing themselves off as licensed agents in order to con players.

Mr Hardy is keen to highlight the issue in a bid to make it uncomfortable for those who are making a financial killing at the expense of unsuspecting footballers.

“I feel desperately sorry for young players, often in their teens, who are being tricked into parting with money on the pretence that they will be given a trial with us or at another English club,” said Mr Hardy.

The Athletic official has received correspondence from players in Australia, America and Africa, who have been targeted by conmen.

Bogus individuals find details of players on recruitment websites and promise trials at Athletic and other clubs in England.

They say flights and accommodation will be paid for by the clubs, but they request a payment to cover medical insurance.

In the three cases brought to the attention of Mr Hardy, each player was asked to pay £650 to the conman, who even provided details of a bona-fide agent’s website so the player did not suspect anything was wrong.

Mr Hardy says he is aware of five players who have been falsely offered trials at Boundary Park.

And he revealed he has posed as a player and contacted one of the agents.

The agent, believed to be African, told him he could set up a trial at Athletic, but when Mr Hardy informed the individual who he was, the call ended abruptly.

Mr Hardy says it is difficult to pin down the bogus agents as they use pay-as-you-go mobiles which cannot be traced.

He said: “All we can do is advise players to contact the police in their countries.

“We also stress to players they should never part with money for a trial because football clubs don’t charge.

“They are usually invited directly by the club for a trial, though they normally have to pay their own travelling expenses.”

Mr Hardy said the FA have asked him to provide the evidence he has compiled so they can investigate the scam.