Sam Allardyce

While West Brom were battling relegation, Allardyce accused the Premier League of 'trying to relegate us' after rejecting a postponement request and scheduling a match against Newcastle for Sunday lunchtime shortly after a Thursday fixture.

State of the evidence

Documented

Legal status — source text

Not applicable

Attribution

Personally implicated

Daily Telegraph journalists posing as businessmen recorded Allardyce discussing third-party ownership rules for players and a £400,000 speaking engagement contract. During the same conversations, he mocked Roy Hodgson as 'Woy' and criticised Gary Neville, the FA and the cost of Wembley. The FA considered his conduct inappropriate, and his tenure as England manager ended by mutual agreement after 67 days. Allardyce apologised for an 'error of judgement' while denouncing the encounter as a trap.

State of the evidence

Documented

Attribution

Directly implicated

On becoming England manager, Allardyce asked the FA to look more actively at foreign-born players who might become eligible through residency, after seeking to clarify Steven N'Zonzi's eligibility. The proposal renewed debate about national-team identity and the limited domestic player pool.

State of the evidence

Documented

Legal status — source text

Not applicable

Attribution

Directly implicated

Despite results that kept the club in the Premier League, some West Ham supporters booed the team and challenged Allardyce's style, which they considered too direct. Following a victory in 2014, he turned towards the crowd with his hand to his ear. In his autobiography, he subsequently described some supporters as 'deluded' and criticised the notion of the 'West Ham way'.

State of the evidence

Documented

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Not applicable

Attribution

Personally implicated

After a video emerged in which Steve Kean claimed that Allardyce had been dismissed by Blackburn because he was a 'crook', Allardyce brought defamation proceedings against Kean and Blackburn. The club acknowledged that the allegation was false and apologised. Kean subsequently admitted that it was completely untrue, withdrew it and agreed to pay substantial damages.

Attribution

Protagonist is the victim

At Newcastle, Allardyce faced strong hostility from supporters, including chants of 'you don't know what you're doing', calls for his dismissal and criticism of football considered too cautious or direct. He left the club by mutual agreement in January 2008 after only a few months.

State of the evidence

Documented

Legal status — source text

Not applicable

Attribution

Directly implicated

The Stevens/Quest investigation declined to sign off on several Bolton transfers involving Craig Allardyce and stated that it remained concerned about the conflict of interest between Craig, his father Sam and the club.

Attribution

Direct responsibility

The BBC Panorama documentary 'Undercover: Football's Dirty Secrets' featured statements by agents claiming that Sam Allardyce had accepted or been prepared to accept improper payments, notably through his son Craig. The broadcast triggered investigations by Bolton and the FA and extensive media coverage.

Attribution

Directly implicated