Bond Hits Back At Shepherd

Bond was mentioned very briefly in the BBC's high-profile Panorama investigation into football bungs last September, while Allardyce took centre stage. The then Bolton boss was even accused by his son!

Bond, who was at Portsmouth when the segment of the programme featuring him was made, is now suing both the BBC for libel and Newcastle for breach of contract.

Allardyce, then Bolton manager, was implicated in the programme but also cleared following the subsequent Stevens inquiry.

Bond: "Morals and integrity are things people stand on when it suits them and they go right out of the window when it doesn't.

"It was easy for Freddy to take the moral high ground with me, it suits him to take the opposite stance with Sam because he believes - as I do - that Sam is the man for Newcastle United.

"It is the biggest U-turn in someone's stance on a matter that I have ever come across.

"The hypocrisy of Freddy appointing Sam is staggering.

"In no way am I criticising Sam because I have nothing but admiration and respect for him, and I believe he is the right man for the job."

 

Meanwhile Shepherd is convinced Newcastle would now be a top five club had he landed Sam Allardyce as manager three years ago.

Shepherd: "I think we would have been in the top five now if Sam had come then. We would have been in a lot better position than we are now.

"In 2004, because of the conditions and the clauses in his contract with Bolton, it was more or less impossible for him to leave.

"But I never stopped trying. He is the type of guy who has Newcastle manager written all over him."