Big Sam Denies Allegations

Last updated : 13 October 2006 By Matt Bottom

"Have I taken one? No. Have I ever been offered one? No. Never, not by anyone," Allardyce told The Sun.

"If Quest ask whether I've been offered an illegal payment, I will answer them. That Answer will be 'No'.

"I have never met Lord Stevens, but why should Lord Stevens, who is a very intelligent man, want to come and speak to me after that BBC programme?

"He is a man of evidence, an ex-copper, and if he saw that programme he must have been saying 'what the hell was that? A trial by media? Guilty until proven innocent?'

"I haven't been exposed yet I am under the most focus and that makes me extremely angry. I don't envisage any problems."

"It only seems to be about me, nobody else. Yet I've done nothing wrong. That makes you angry," he continued.

"Panorama used so-called top-line under-cover reporters for 14 months, spending a lot of time and money, and got nothing."

"The general public don't think anything of it," he said. "Everywhere I've been, I've had support, whether it be in Newcastle, London, Manchester, Preston or Bolton.

"And that's the biggest comfort of the lot. I don't feel like I can't go out of the front door.

"You expect backing from the people who are close to you but the amount of public opinion makes me determined to carry on and get through it.

"One of the best things to come out of this is the support all over the country from young and old.

"I've also had huge support from the club, from the owner and chairman down and from other managers. It has been fantastic.

"I've had to keep quiet for so long because of legal advice and opinion. But now it's time to say 'I'm here, I'm not hiding'. I owe that to all those who have been backing me."