Soccer Most Foul - A Match-Fixing Thriller

By Paul Rodricks

"Soccer Most Foul: A Match-Fixing Thriller" is an intense and compelling novel that explores the dangerous and illegal world of professional football match-fixing.
The protagonist, Jack McGraw, is a former English professional footballer and coach who is forced into self-exile after being blackmailed into fixing matches for his club.
However, a decade later, Jack returns with a plan for payback against Edgar J. Price, the corrupt sports director who still runs the club as a criminal enterprise.
Coincidentally, Jack's nephew, Stanley Campbell, has also made his debut as a professional footballer with the same club, adding another layer to the already intricate story.
The novel also sheds light on the various crimes that are prevalent in organized sports, including match-fixing, money laundering, tax evasion, drugs, and sex abuse.
The story is set in Manchester, the historic heartland of English football, and the thrilling events take place against the backdrop of the world of professional soccer.
The narrative weaves together the story of Jack's quest for revenge and Stanley's journey as a professional footballer, with the backdrop of the larger issue of match-fixing in the sport.
The characters are complex and multi-dimensional, and the story is filled with twists and turns that will keep you on the edge of your seat.
"Soccer Most Foul" is a must-read for fans of sports fiction, mystery, thrillers, and suspense, and it will leave you questioning the dark side of professional football.

  

• Language: English
• Publisher: Paul Rodricks
• Release date: Feb 25, 2023
• ISBN: 9798215169155

Paul Rodricks

He is a keen researcher and investigator into many human-interest subjects, such as on genres: Thrillers+Adventure+Crime+Suspense. This has led him to pen for his valuable readers, fast-paced and adventurous tales about intriguing characters. Both real and fictitious. He has traveled extensively, which has given him insight into portraying his characters from ordinary folks to spies, corrupt politicians, criminals & killers, terrorists, and the like. His new sports thriller, Soccer Most Foul, depicts the scourge of matching-fixing plaguing the beautiful game. He is also known to write on Historical fiction and is an avid songwriter, Poet, and composer. He'd love to hear from readers. Invites you to visit his blog: PaulsWRITERSDIG7.blogspot.com

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Prologue

Some Weeks Before.

Olivia Riley, the investigation officer in the Anti-Corruption Squad with the Manchester Police, was alerted by the front-page news headline in the morning edition of the Tribune daily:

Is Match-Fixing becoming Widespread in English Football?

Her attention, in particular, was drawn to one of the football club names mentioned by the sports reporter. Manchester Arms FC, among other clubs, was suspected of being involved in game-fixing.

In the past also, such sports investigative reports appeared in the media but raised no legitimate alarm or demand for a police investigation. However, this time the Football Association announced that its investigative team would conduct an independent investigation into the allegations of match-fixing per se.

Olivia's first concern was for Jack McGraw. He had been the coach with Manch Arms FC for a few years, and the club was performing well.

She had a committed relationship with Jack. Not once did he appear to her as an unscrupulous person.

She'd certainly know better after working with the police and was experienced in handling all kinds of suspects and criminals. Yet, it was never possible to fully understand a person, no matter how close or intimate two people were.

That evening Olivia and Jack met over late-night dinner and then partied with friends.

She didn’t bring up the Tribune article on match-fixing because she’d decided to wait for the other series of reports to be published by the Tribune. Neither did her manfriend bring up the issue. 

For some unexplained reasons, the Tribune simply stopped publishing the remaining series of articles. Moreover, nothing further was heard from the Football Association regarding its investigation into the match-fixing allegations.

Jack McGraw Receives the Blacklist Threat

On Thursday at 8.00 a.m., Jack arrived at his office and found on his desk two messages from the office of the director to the coach, including the one from yesterday afternoon.

He needed some time to review his coach contract with the Manchester Arms FC and to reconsider the renewal and termination terms.

At 8.40 a.m., the coach walked to the ground where most of the players were already exercising and drilling. He spent the next thirty minutes with the players supervising the morning drills and practice schedule.

The Polish player appeared fidgety and desired to speak with the coach. Jack took the hint and when they were both in proximity, Jan said to him in an undertone, They're 'selling' me to another club before I finish my contract.

This shady management would certainly defraud him of a better deal, Jack reasoned. The young man needed guidance.

Don't worry. We'll meet and then talk. I'll call you after the practice ends.

From the pitch, he had a view of the office parking lot. Jack saw the director's car arrive and stop before the entrance of the administrative building.

McGraw returned to his office, picked up his notebook, and took the elevator to the director's office on the first floor.

He was invited in upon knocking on the door. Price quickly informed him, Mr. Burns, Mr. Sawyer, and another person will be here too. While we wait for them to join us, there's still the other issue we discussed last week. We must tie up any loose ends here right now.

With all due respect, Director Price, I remember you offered me extra income potentials concerning my coaching job with the club.

Edgar nodded. A kind of a proposition. Yes. 

One week to accept. Still a day short, insisted the coach.

What difference does it make? We have a busy schedule to run. So, what's your answer? We don't have until the next season.

Two options, I've as of now. Finish the contract or terminate and move on.

Don’t forget you're being offered more from this season on and even more against the new contract.

I appreciate the generous gesture, but I'd want a change of place to better my coaching experience.

This peaceful exchange, however, triggered the schizophrenic mind of Edgar Price causing him to jerk up to his feet.

You came to us first with that piece of UEFA paper. With no previous coaching experience, I gave you an opportunity of a lifetime. Do you think you'll ever get a contract to coach a club worthy of the name in the U.K.? Price sneered at McGraw.

This time, the corrupt man threatened Jack with ‘blacklisting’ his name as a UEFA football coach, which his club establishment was capable of doing, by fabricating false charges.

Do we need to continue this uncivil conversation? Moreover, this is my coaching time. I need to be with my boys.

The owners of the club pay your salary, not the boys, the director reminded him sarcastically.

Have you decided what your answer’s going to be? Edgar then asked.

Jack was hesitant. 

Let the others arrive. I want to discuss the legal implications with Mr. Sawyer. That's only fair. Jack replied.

Footsteps were heard behind the door, followed by a couple of knocks on it.

Price glanced at his wristwatch and then at the door as if he was caught off guard.

Sauntering forward thoughtfully, Price reached out and opened the door, only to step back hastily.

He was staring at a police detective's badge, and then another. Two police officers, a male, and a female stood facing him.

***

PART 1

Chapter One

2004

Manchester Arms FC

At the age of 37, Jack McGraw bid goodbye to his professional football playing years and joined Manchester Arms FC as a coach.

The outgoing manager was Edgar Price, whose brother was contesting the Greater Manchester mayoral seat for his second term in office. Andrew Price was also a major shareholder in the club’s private ownership.

McGraw engaged himself in the club’s training and coaching. Price stayed on as the sports director, and at first, he was prone to overriding Jack's democratic approach to coaching by sticking to his autocratic style of training.

McGraw disliked the intrusion but tolerated Price out of professional courtesy.

He also noticed that some players seemed favorably disposed towards Edgar, accepting his presence and ruling on the pitch, obviously for the reason that he'd been the coach at the club for several years.

During the first three years of his tenure, McGraw led Manch Arms FC to two consecutive wins and a draw in the competitive Premier League level 2 matches.

This was a significantly better result than the club's previous performance record for the previous years under Price's management.

In his fourth year with Manch Arms FC, one of the top teams competing in the Champions League football games at the time, the club was brought to the attention of the English Football Association authorities for allegations and suspicions of covertly engaging in corrupt football practices.

However, rumors and scandals had begun to circulate in the sports world years before that football and other sports games were being fixed, both before and during the game, through connections with illegal betting and gambling crime syndicates around the world.

Clubs were going defunct and being banned all the time, while cases were being heard in courts and more clubs were being investigated.

A preliminary investigation by FA officials revealed cases of mismanagement

of funds, illegalities in player transfer payments, and money laundering of income as common malpractices among clubs.

The scams were fuelled by the corrupt practice of luring and engaging the players, officials, referees, and linesmen into various forms of match-fixing. 

Nonetheless, the corruption was not limited to merely junior or lower-league clubs. Foreign media and independent investigators were reporting regularly that even the most prestigious World Cup games were not immune to the match-fixing epidemic.

Around this time, Jack was personally embroiled in having to defend both his club and himself against allegations of gambling misconduct.

The Tribune Tabloid's sports investigative team of reporters had already been checking rumors, social conversations, complaints, and reports emerging from the football circle of club officials, players, and sports journalists that at least three FA clubs in the Greater Manchester were heavily invested in playing fixed games throughout the season.

The Manchester Arms FC was one such name to surface in public.

When the first installment of the Tribune’s series of articles was finally published, there appeared to be enough denials and skepticism from all flanks, as well as cries of conspiracy.

Jack McGraw was subjected to hearings in front of the club's administrators and legal counsel.

As far as he was concerned, he told the investigating authorities that he had no knowledge or understanding of any member of the club, player, or official, who was involved in football game scams or illegal betting activity.

As a former professional footballer, he was also aware of and heard rumors about games being fixed. However, he knew of no player who had compromised himself.

Neither did he know any bookmakers nor had been approached by match-fixers during his time as the coach at this club, which he joined in 2000, after gaining

his UEFA Coach license.

Meanwhile, due to the political clout from the mayor’s office and pressure from certain vested sports corporate bosses, the initial storm was only short-lived, as the excitement of the upcoming football season erased the outrage from public memory.

When McGraw called the Tribune's office, one of the two reporters who wrote the article answered the phone.

The reporter stood by the tabloid's story and sources. In fact, he stated that the original length of the original article had been reduced.

"I see no truth in the allegations leveled against the club. I must categorically deny any involvement in the corrupt practices mentioned in your article. I’ve been the coach with Manchester Arms FC since 1999.

How come you even reported on the alleged wrongdoings without first checking your facts with anyone from the club’s management? Jack was infuriated.

We followed all due publishing protocol. If you wish, you can take it up with the Tribune's Managing Editor. As far as I know, your club has already contacted our editorial office.

Jack was surprised to hear the last part of the conversation.

Edgar Price did not once inform him that someone from the club had contacted the Tribune after the article appeared in the newspaper. Apparently, there were a lot of things going on in the affairs of the club that he was not privy to.

I am assuming you plan to follow up with the other series of articles soon?

"I’m not sure when. That's an editorial decision. The first in the series was

published. So, far from being conclusive, the content relates to the early years of the club. 

In what year did you say, you joined the club?"

From 1990 to the year 2000.

I can check if you could hold on the line. 

He was put on hold.

Three minutes later, Jack heard the reporter's voice back on the line.

"Yes, that's right. The article covers the first eight years of the club's existence. 

The article, however, doesn't mention the fact that the club’s name and ownership changed twice during this period."

Jack McGraw now wished he had sought some advice before accepting the position with the Manch Arms FC.

He’d later heard stories about the corrupt and bankrupt clubs changing titles and ownership in their effort to manipulate finances and launder money by promoting illegal gambling through fixed football games.

Thank you for informing me. Aren’t you one of the two writers?

Yep. Tony Wright.

Thank you again, Mr. Wright, Jack said, as he put away the cell phone.

His previous reservations and suspicions were being confirmed. The club's management was undoubtedly involved in the scams.

And, it all added up to Edgar Price's direct control and influence over those most corrupt players, who were with the club for the longest time.

Some of the matches during his first three years may have been fixed and he was stupid enough not to suspect it.

It should have become clear to him after noticing the unexpected outcome of some of the games played - the odd number of goals scored and the timing of the outcome - wins, draws, and losses – that if at all some of these results appeared questionable before, they now showed all the more having the signs of match-fixing.

And last but not least, the chicanery adopted by corrupt footballers to lower the

level of their performance to mere play-acting, such as displaying outright sloppy and blundering moves or throwing dramatic tantrums on the field, apparently signatures of a fixed game.

Moreover, questionable indeed were some of the 'bribed' referees' outrageous decisions made at the time.

Another matter of concern was the abnormal number of friendly matches the club accommodated playing during the season.

His final year with this tainted club was beginning to appear a nightmare in his coaching career.

From then on, Jack McGraw decided to keep a close watch on the club's activities and try to gain the confidence, at least of some of the players. 

He thought he knew who those youths were, to begin with. Jack had his suspicions about Edgar Price's involvement. This was made certain after the Tribune's scandalous report on match-fixing; the corruption reported to have happened during Price's tenure. 

Jack assumed that not everyone on the team tolerated the director. But the Price Brothers owned the club, and the players understood that the sports director had the power to make or break their careers. Meanwhile, McGraw decided to use his contacts—friends, coaches, and whatever other sources he could find—to gather background information on the Manchester Arms FC covertly.

Jack McGraw also considered putting in his resignation.

But the football season was waiting to commence and his contractual terms stopped him short. Also, professional ethics didn't allow him to abandon his team, which had trained hard and practiced to compete for the 2004 annual trophies.

Friendly Match with Spanish Lugarno FC Madrid

In the last week of July, Manchester Arms FC played a friendly match against the Spanish Second Division Club, Lugarno, from Madrid.

In the previous seasons, Manch Arms FC had played several series of friendly matches versus teams at the junior and national level from Europe, particularly Eastern Europe, South-East Asia, and the USA. It had become a regular feature of the club's game schedule.

The Lugarno squad had no players of Spanish National team stature. But their playing capability was almost on par with any English Premier League level 2 team.

Alerted by the Tribune's article and what he had discovered subsequently, Jack decided not to be caught unawares and therefore stayed ever watchful and critical of every move the players made.

The game began well, with both sides displaying good moves, but the Manch Arms FC had a definite edge over the Madrid Lugarno Club, at least during the first twenty minutes or so of the match.

Then, the game pattern appeared to vary, obviously initiated by Manch Arms FC players; particularly involved were the two outsiders, the central midfielder and the keeper.

As the match progressed, Jack noted his team’s gradual change to playing sloppily, committing apparent glitches by loose tackling, easy ball losses, an increasing number of slips and falls, badly placed passes, and abandoning opportunities to score.

It was obvious that while one half of his team was reduced to sloppy play, the other half of the teammates, including Jan Derzanski, the Polish player, were trying hard to better their performance.

In the last five minutes of the first half, the English team's Polish midfielder captured the ball that was hand-passed by the Madrid goalkeeper to his defender in the penalty arc. He dribbled it past the slack defense and briskly shot it past another Spanish defender into the corner of the goal.

At halftime, exhorting his players in the dressing room, as usual, Jack didn't disclose his suspicions about the first half of the game.

Afterward, when he emerged from the restroom, he noticed the director conversing with the players. As they listened to him speak, a few of them crowded around him, nodding. Then, everyone dispersed to make their way to the pitch.

During the second half, as if on cue, the referee gave a penalty for a handball to the Lugarno Club. Jack was displeased with the decision. The Hungarian referee stood his ground. 

The Lugano striker took his shot and hit the ball straight into the net. In an obvious half-hearted attempt to stop the ball, the Manch Arms FC keeper dived into the opposite corner. Whereupon, the audience in the stadium erupted in howler roars in response.

Jan Derzanski was shown a yellow card shortly after, allegedly for a hard tackle. He protested vehemently and continued to argue, prompting the referee to pull out another yellow card.

The outraged Polish player, ironically, became the focal point of the friendly encounter. Because before long, he almost scored again as the ball bounced back against the goal post.

Ten minutes towards the finishing whistle, the referee allowed another penalty shot to the Lugarno side for a foul against a shoulder-head tackle, which goal won the match for the Spaniards.

A rigged outcome, with a weak rival team defeating a powerful squad, Manch Arms FC, by a score of 2-1.

Jack could only show his frustration, realizing that his players, club officials, and the referee were all part of a fixed-match fixture in collusion with the Spanish side.

To sum it up, the club's coach stood as infuriated as the people in the stands witnessing the put-on spectacle.

Building a Rapport with Player

As their coach, he was familiar with the character traits and behavior patterns of his footballers, both on and off the pitch.

There was also another side to it: how the players interacted with one another

as friends, aloof or indifferent individuals. Generally, this type of personal attitude is usually ignored once the squad is competing on the ground. Unless, of course, the game is being rigged.

Jack summoned Jan Derzanski to his office after the practice session, on the pretext of discussing his contract, which was set to expire at the end of the current season. 

The Pole had come on a two-year contract only. He was dissatisfied with the club and had expressed his intention to leave.

On the field, Jan was as good a midfielder as any club could hope for. It didn’t take long for the coach to persuade him to reveal the reason he didn’t want to extend his contract.

Gradually first, then out of deep frustration, the young player disclosed to McGraw about the corruption that half the number of the team players were involved in.

Jan suspected that the two strikers, the defensive midfielder, the two halfbacks, and the goalkeeper were often involved in throwing fixed games.

He went on to say that some of these players themselves bet on the fixed matches, besides being addicted to gambling, and also were debt-ridden.

From his previous experience as a professional footballer, Jack knew that many players developed a habit of late-night partying, heavy drinking, and in some cases, serious drug use.

Accepting bribes and luxuries exceeding their legal income was a prevalent tendency among unscrupulous professional footballers.

Jack assured Jan that he would look after his interests as long he played for the club. If possible, he’d help him in obtaining a new deal with another club.

In another conversation, the Pole disclosed to him the alleged involvement of the Sports Director, Edgar Price.

Since the fraudulent tactics continued during the competition and non-competition fixtures played between the English and foreign national teams even after Jack McGraw took over as coach, Jan and those players in the know suspected that the new coach was party to the pattern as well.

On one occasion, on a Sunday afternoon, Derzanski remembered chancing upon the director talking to a group of four players gathered in one corner of the dressing room.

He tried to withdraw upon seeing them and stepped into another row of the lockers. What he heard was a plan to fix the next game.

Manch Arms FC’s goalkeeper, a German by nationality, was a tall, powerfully built man with blonde hair and quick on his feet, presumably the leader, having attempted to befriend Derzanski once.

Jan was told, not in so many words, to occasionally adapt to their pattern of playing. That is if he wanted to make a lot of extra money from perks.

The Pole, who was 21 years old at the time, came across to Jack, as one of those few footballers who neither smoked nor drank hard liquor. He partied even rarely. His sole passion was football and he aspired to follow in the footsteps of many of his countrymen by becoming a serious professional footballer.

Understandably, the club management had recently shown interest in contracting more international players for the team. Obviously, because they're less expensive, easier to control, and more susceptible to manipulation.

Other than for suspicions and gaining some insight into the match-fixing modes operandi, Jack was nowhere near to laying his hands on any evidence to prove the club's involvement in the malpractices.

***

Chapter Two

The Years: 1999 - 2004

––––––––

Stanley Campbell

Stanley Campbell was 13 years old when he suffered the unexpected loss of his father, Damon. While his father competed on the car tracks, Stan played football for the Ashton under-14 squad contesting in junior-level tournaments.

On that particular day, the joy of a 3-0 victory out on the pitch was cut short for the teen footballer by the tragic news of his father's sudden death on the car race track circuit.

His mother, Fiona Campbell, and the rest of the family members waited until Stan returned home from the game before gently informing him of his father's demise.

Stan stood still rooted on his feet, his mind frozen, while a shattering cry escaped from his lips, bemoaning Oh...God, no... no... no!

Aside from his mother, the two most influential persons in his life were his father and maternal uncle, Big Jack. 

They had been the significant pre-adult influencers in shaping his life. Stan couldn't believe that one of them would no longer be there for him as he grew older.

As much as his mother, Big Jack, and others were there for him, he'd always miss the challenging presence of his father. He’d miss being buoyed by his daring, racing talent and his never-give-up attitude in life. 

His paternal loyalty refused to let his mind dwell on his father's lapses in recent years, which appeared to have marred their once-happy family relationship.

Jack McGraw, on the other hand, was aware of the double life that Damon lived outside the confines of his family. 

For a time, the car racer had managed to keep his dark side hidden from his wife and teenage son. But for how long, wondered Jack.

They both lived a high-profile life at one point, with him as a promising professional footballer and Damon as a rising star on the sports car racing circuit. 

Jack became a part of Damon's friends' circle in partying, nightlife, and even casino gambling, but only for a brief time.

When Jack sensed that his professional life was being adversely influenced, he slowed down and limited his distractions including his social life. 

On the other hand, there was no letting down for Damon Campbell.

Jack couldn't bring himself to overlook Damon's trespasses as the issues concerning the welfare of his sister Fiona and their son, Stanley.

And so, during the final two years of his professional football career, he barely saw Damon though he kept in touch with his sister and Stan.

Meantime, Jack met Olivia Riley, a 33-year-old attractive career-minded woman, with whom he dated and fell in love.

Riley worked with the Anti-Corruption Squad of the Greater Manchester Police, after completing her studies in criminal law.

This was when McGraw was training for UEFA Coach qualifications and was later offered the job of coaching Manchester Arms FC.

An Anonymous Phone Call

On a windy, rainy Friday night in September, as Jack was preparing his dinner, and sipping Budweiser intermittently, he took a call from an unknown person.

Hello. Is this Jack McGraw? a gravelly-sounding voice asked.