A short while ago we covered the investigation into the previous meeting between these two clubs just 24 days ago when large betting on the Asian exchanges attracted the attention of the UK authorities. The game ended 2-1 to Derby County and masses were paid out to punters who have correctly forecast the final score sparking what has been a thorough yet fruitless look into the murky world of match fixing allegations and Asian gangs.
The Football Association took up the reigns on this one and undertook a large scale investigation which involved a number of betting operations around the world. Co-operation was swift from the UK betting exchanges but we saw something of a closed shop from the Asian industry which has always been, and continues to be, a very secret affair. Rumours of mafia bosses running the betting industry in the Far East are never far from the surface but nothing has ever been proved outside of the Far East.
While tonight’s game ended with a 3-1 win for Derby County there were no suspicious betting patterns, no controversial incidents in the game and above all no mention of match fixing. The affair is now closed due to a lack of information but the spectre of match fixing still hovers over the sport of football in general.
