Heroes & Villains, the Aston Villa fanzine
Heroes & Villains => Heroes Discussion => Topic started by: Villa'Zawg on March 07, 2011, 11:21:07 PM
-
Footballer's agent 'siphoned money'
Published on Mon Mar 07 18:37:15 GMT 2011
A former Middlesbrough FC footballer has told a jury how he discovered hundreds of thousands of pounds missing from a bank account, allegedly "siphoned" off by his "dishonest" agent.
Stewart Downing, 26, told York Crown Court how he discovered just £11,000 in one of his business accounts, which should have contained £600,000 to £700,000.
The court was told the money was allegedly siphoned off by his agent Ian Elliott to prop up his failing business projects.
The court heard Elliott, 53, had represented Downing since the midfielder signed his first contract with the North East side aged 15.
Downing told the court he trusted Elliott with all his business dealings, but the relationship turned sour in January 2007 when Tottenham Hotspur were said to be interested in the player during the Premier League's transfer window. The court was told Elliott had leaked details of Tottenham's interest on a local radio station.
Downing described the transfer speculation as "unsettling" and he said he no longer trusted his agent and decided to check a bank account, trading as Stewart Downing Promotions Ltd. He told the court: "I discovered a lot of money missing."
The court was told Downing, who now plays for Aston Villa, had trusted Elliott with all his contract negotiations at Middlesbrough, including image rights.
It is alleged that Elliott committed fraud by falsely claiming Downing consented to him becoming a director of Stewart Downing Promotions Ltd, and requiring Downing to sign a two-year contract without telling him that its terms were inconsistent with an earlier contract.
It is also alleged that Elliott created a consultancy agreement that purported to entitle him to £100,000 per year, backdated to 2004, and created false invoices for money supposedly owed by Stewart Downing Promotions Ltd to two companies, Elliott Sports Management Ltd and Waveclean Ltd, trading as ESM Interiors.
Elliott, of Foxhills Covert, Newcastle, denies all the charges. The trial, which is expected to last three weeks, was adjourned until Tuesday.
The Banbridge Leader - Clicky (http://www.banbridgeleader.co.uk/news/footballer_s_agent_siphoned_money_1_2478279)
-
I was once on the back page of that newspaper, being praised for my generosity.
-
When you see the type of characters that are football agents this is not surprising. Whenever there is an industry that genrates a lot of cash then they become a magnet for wideboys, home improvements, recruitment, telecoms.
-
I was once on the back page of that newspaper, being praised for my generosity.
I bet ''Stewie'' wishes you were his agent.
-
I was once on the back page of that newspaper, being praised for my generosity.
Dave Woodall and generosity are in the same sentence ?
It should've been on the front page.
-
What's this football agent in greed shocker
-
No wonder he missed that sitter on Saturday
-
I was once on the back page of that newspaper, being praised for my generosity.
Dave Woodall and generosity are in the same sentence ?
It should've been on the front page.
To be fair I think it was on 1st April!
-
I was once on the back page of that newspaper, being praised for my generosity.
I'm on it.
http://www.pcc.org.uk/
-
Let's hope his agent get's what's coming to him.
-
Is there a lower form of life than a football agent?
-
Is there a lower form of life than a football agent?
Gary Lineker ?
-
Garth Crooks?
-
B**o. No question mark required, it's a fact.
-
Is there a lower form of life than a football agent?
Gary Lineker ?
Andy Gray?
-
True. If Gary Lineker ever became a football agent the universe would almost certainly implode.
-
The court was told Downing, who now plays for Aston Villa, had trusted Elliott with all his contract negotiations at Middlesbrough, including image rights.
It is alleged that Elliott committed fraud by falsely claiming Downing consented to him becoming a director of Stewart Downing Promotions Ltd, and requiring Downing to sign a two-year contract without telling him that its terms were inconsistent with an earlier contract.
Another take on this could be, "Footballer in 'So much money he forgets to read the legally binding contracts he's signing' shocker"...
The agent sounds very much like a crook, but if you were signing an agent up for two years, don't you think you'd read the terms of it?!
-
Didn't Sting's accountant steal millions from him without him noticing?
-
Stewart Downing, 26, told York Crown Court how he discovered just £11,000 in one of his business accounts, which should have contained £600,000 to £700,000.
The Communists amongst the site would probably take another view of this - that if he only noticed £600k-£700k missing when he checked his bank statements he shouldn't have had it in the first place, the capitalist swine!!!!
-
Didn't Sting's accountant steal millions from him without him noticing?
Indeed he did. I thought it was hilarious. Sting = Utter cock.
-
Is there a lower form of life than a football agent?
That's a genuinely tough question. Still pondering that one, will get back to you....
Alright, I suppose doorstep loan sharks are worse. Arms dealers, perhaps. But it's certainly a tough one.
-
I'm going to offer to be Dave Woodhall's accountant. He makes Downing and Sting look like tramps.
-
It was said in court that downing wanted £80000 a week in wages to stay at boro which downing denies.
He also confirmed £136,000 had left the account to pay for a variety of luxury items.
As well as the home cinema, he spent £30,000 on a home extension, £6,000 on a walk-in wardrobe and £45,000 on a conservatory.
Other expenditure included £6,000 on a bathroom. He also gave his family £180,000 over a number of years, the jury was told.
The former Middlesbrough midfielder told the jury the account should have had £600,000 to £700,000 in it from his earnings.
He said a firm of accountants discovered just £11,000 in the account.
Downing said there was a "massive amount" of money going into the account and he would have expected to see more than a few thousand pounds.
"If you look at the money that had gone out, there should have been more than £11,000," he told the jury during cross-examination.
Robin Patton, defending Elliott, responded by saying: "That's if you know what you are doing with your money."
Mr Patton put it to Downing that he had spoken to Tottenham Hotspur in January 2008 to discuss a possible move to the London club.
Mr Patton claimed he had spoken to the club on two occasions.
Downing denied the claim or that he was trying to increase his wages at Middlesbrough FC to £80,000 a week during contract negotiations in 2008.
He said the figure of £80,000 was "comical" and he would never try to get that much money from Middlesbrough.
Read more: http://www.mirrorfootball.co.uk/news/Stewart-Downing-fraud-trial-reveals-spending-habits-of-a-Premier-League-footballer-article711851.html#ixzz1G1jno5wX
Sign up for MirrorFootball's Morning Spy newsletter Register here
-
I'm going to offer to be Dave Woodhall's accountant. He makes Downing and Sting look like tramps.
That reminds me of when a bluenose at work told me that Carson Yeung's fortune makes Randy Lerner look like a Somalian refugee. I think he'd been reading something by Colin Tattum.
-
I'm going to offer to be Dave Woodhall's accountant. He makes Downing and Sting look like tramps.
That reminds me of when a bluenose at work told me that Carson Yeung's fortune makes Randy Lerner look like a Somalian refugee. I think he'd been reading something by Colin Tattum.
Carson Yeung allegedly made an approach to buy the Villa before Randy did but HDE wanted to see the colour of his money before he entertained the idea.
Needless to say, it never got past first base!
-
Stewart Downing, 26, told York Crown Court how he discovered just £11,000 in one of his business accounts, which should have contained £600,000 to £700,000.
The Communists amongst the site would probably take another view of this - that if he only noticed £600k-£700k missing when he checked his bank statements he shouldn't have had it in the first place, the capitalist swine!!!!
Here we go again - you don't agree with unfettered capitalism, you're a Communist.
-
Stewart Downing, 26, told York Crown Court how he discovered just £11,000 in one of his business accounts, which should have contained £600,000 to £700,000.
The Communists amongst the site would probably take another view of this - that if he only noticed £600k-£700k missing when he checked his bank statements he shouldn't have had it in the first place, the capitalist swine!!!!
Here we go again - you don't agree with unfettered capitalism, you're a Communist.
That was written with my tongue firmly in my cheek! Lighten up Dave!
-
This is all a bit dull isn't it? A few grand on a kitchen, an extension etc, where is all the exciting stuff, 20k on gambowling dwarves polishing his bell end, a million on a pet unicorn?
-
I'd love to be a football agent !!
-
This is all a bit dull isn't it? A few grand on a kitchen, an extension etc, where is all the exciting stuff, 20k on gambowling dwarves polishing his bell end, a million on a pet unicorn?
They weren't allowed to bring that evidence to court for fear of exposing Downing to ridicule!