This Day in History: 2023-02-09

Nr. 401

MATCH-FIXING ENDS CAREERS (1965)

In 1963, when he left Sheffield Wednesday for Everton, Tony Kay was England’s highest paid professional, but a £50 bet when he was still with Wednesday was to end his career and put hun behind bars for ten weeks. Kay had bet that his team would lose against Ipswich Town, a wager that entangled him in England’s most sensational match-fixing investigation. In 1965 ten League professionals were found guilty, jailed and banned from playing for life. Former Scottish professional Jimmy Gauld was judged to be the ringleader and sentenced to four years, while others received sentences of between four and 15 months.

Tony Kay arrives at Mansfield magistrates court to hear his fate. He was to spend ten weeks behind bars for his crime.