Premier League In Limbo Over Newcastle
Last updated : 22 June 2007 By Footy Mad - Editor
There have been a lot of words spoken; the BBC got themselves a TV programme out of it; and several Premiership managers (past and present) have suffered a lot of stress over something they have not been charged over ... or even found guilty of!
And today we hear, after Graeme Souness threatened to take them all to court, Lord Stevens and the Premier League have made it clear they have no concerns about Souness' role in any transfers while he was manager of Newcastle.
Stevens' report published a week ago had highlighted "inconsistencies in evidence" provided by Souness and Newcastle chairman Freddy Shepherd's son Kenneth.
Now the League and Stevens' firm Quest say that related to "another matter" but not transfers.
Souness has strongly denied any wrongdoing whatsoever and a statement published on the Premier League website reads: "The Premier League and Quest wish to clarify a sentence in the Key Findings document which was issued on June 15, 2007.
"The following sentence appears to have been misinterpreted by sections of the media: 'However, there remain inconsistencies in evidence provided by Graeme Souness (a former manager of the club) and Kenneth Shepherd (apparently acting in an undefined role but not as a club official) as to their respective roles in transfer negotiations.'
"We wish to make it clear that inconsistencies did not exist within the evidence given by Graeme Souness to Quest concerning his role in transfers covered by the Inquiry during his time as manager of Newcastle United FC and neither the Premier League nor Quest have any concerns in this regard.
"There were inconsistencies, however, between the evidence of Graeme Souness and that of other witnesses on another matter."
Souness: "They have blackened my reputation without anything to back up their claims.
"Stevens' report states there was absolutely no evidence of improper payments to clubs, officials or players - and yet they throw my name in to their report to generate headlines.
"Their only justification is some vague nonsense about there being inconsistencies in my answers to their questions. What's that about?"