Death and The Fix

Jonathan Moss, as regular readers will understand, is a Premier League Select Group referee, one of nineteen referees who are allowed to officiate in EPL games.

John Colquhoun is a friend of Jonathan Moss of 20 years standing and, as regular readers will understand, is West Bromwich Albion club agent, Key Sports Management joint-owner, tv presenter, journalist, professional gambler and ambassador for the Scottish tourism industry.

Victor Chandler International/Bet Victor, as regular readers will understand, are the offshore and onshore wings of the Chandler betting entity with close ties historically to John Colquhoun.

Now then girls and boys...
...time for some forensics.

Traders compare prices from major firms with stances taken by bookmakers known to have contacts with clubs to determine when such layers are taking a market position.
So SBOBET and West Ham, Bodog and West Brom, Bet365 and Stoke City etc...

For the sheer hell of it, we thought we would run through the 22 matches that Mr Moss has refereed since his promotion to the Select Group last summer.

In twelve matches the Victor Chandler operation were neutral with respect to the AMLP and a few of the top Asian firms.
In the other 10 matches, Chandler took a position in the market against the AMLP companies and Asia.
We list these games below together with result, outcome for Chandler (VCI) and any key breakpoints that influence the outcomes.

Bristol Rovers v TORQUAY UNITED 1-2 VCI WIN - 1 penalty in favour of Torquay.
Ipswich v SOUTHAMPTON 2-5 VCI WIN.
NOTTINGHAM FOREST (Draw No Bet) v Leicester 2-2 VCI BREAKEVEN - 1 penalty and 1 sending off in favour of Nottm Forest.
Blackpool v CARDIFF CITY (+0.0,0.5) 1-1 VCI WIN.
Wimbledon v BARNET (+0.5) 1-1 VCI WIN.
Swansea v FULHAM 2-0 VCI LOSE.
DERBY v West Ham 2-1 VCI WIN - 5 West Ham players booked/ 0 Derby players booked.
MACCLESFIELD (+1.0) v Bolton 2-2 VCI WIN.
Millwall v BIRMINGHAM CITY 0-6 VCI WIN - 2 sendings off in favour of position.
West Brom v SWANSEA 1-2 VCI WIN.

So, in the 10 matches refereed by Jonathan Moss where Victor Chandler have taken an extreme market position, 8 have produced oodles of money to the Public Schoolboy Bookie, one was a breakeven despite the benefit of two major decisions in favour of the Chandler position and the other stance was a loser.

8 Wins.
1 Loss.
5 Penalties and Sendings Off in Favour.

We have been closely following the Chandler entity since the mid-nineties when, under the tutelage of head trader Tony Bloom (now owner of Brighton and Hove Albion), they were the first European firm to venture into the Asian markets.
Bloom moved from Gibraltar to Bangkok to establish the presence.

This first mover advantage was extremely profitable for both the Victor Chandler organisation and Mr Bloom, now a 'property mogul'.

The next time the Chandler entity popped into our view was when a whistleblower from the company went public with the fact that one Premier League manager had bet £12 million at Chandler in just one season.

There are other data and information that we are not willing to release in this place because it is not in the public domain and we need to ensure that we are protected against any future eventualities.

This data is just an aperitif.

But it should not come as any surprise that similar structures may be seen with many other leading bookmaking organisations and various individuals who are coerced, bribed or persuaded to do Fat Wallets' bidding.

We have made the decision to release this partial picture today, after extensive discussions and legal advice.

Over the weekend, Nottingham Forest owner Nigel Doughty died of a heart attack.

When people are examining the causes of the stress that led to Mr Doughty's untimely demise, they might wish to focus on the role played by John Colquhoun both during and in the aftermath of the Steve McClaren sacking, with his various stinging attacks on Doughty by sources via the anonymity of his Guardian Football Section control and the pressurisation that helped to force Doughty to relinquish the chairmanship of the club he saved.

Additionally, it somehow seems sadly apt that the Nottingham Forest shirt sponsors are one Victor Chandler International.

Seymour Pierce were brought in to advise the club on takeovers following Doughty's removal.
Two months later, Seymour Pierce were given the largest ever fine by the AIM exchange for the breaking of the exchanges rules.

Nigel Doughty, the Forest saviour, was effectively ousted in a media-orchestrated hostile takeover - a money grab.

Doughty not only saved Forest from oblivion with £75 million of his own cash (well it was from private equity, but you understand what we mean), he also put aside a further £25 million for future eventualities.

Although the arrangements for the eventual repayment of this money are unknown perhaps it would be a wonderful gesture by the Immensely Rich Victor Chandler and the Getting Richer Every Day John Colquhoun if they were to cover this sum themselves.

For the good of the game that they profit from and ###.

Otherwise this just reeks of robbery and a cause-and-effect version of corporate ############.