A report in today's Daily Mirror claims the FA and the Home Office have launched a probe over the immigration documentation of the Toon's South American trio Solano, Bassedas and Gavilan.

However, Sporting Life subsequently report that the FA have denied reports that they have opened any investigation into Newcastle over the passports of these players.

But an FA spokesman said: "There is no FA investigation into Newcastle United. However, Clubs have been required to report to the Department for Education and Employment immigration service. The vast majority of clubs have responded within the required two-week period, but a small number of clubs have failed to do so. We would therefore remind those clubs of the request to report in the near future."

It would appear therefore that for some reason the Toon have not complied with this requirement. One can only wonder why - administrative sloppiness, or something to hide?

-- Anonymous, March 10, 2001

Answers

Very worrying.

-- Anonymous, March 10, 2001

NUFC? Administrative sloppiness. :-|

-- Anonymous, March 10, 2001

NUFC? Administrative sloppiness ?

NEVER, NEVER, NEVER !!!

Wash your mouth out with soap and go to your room, Ciara.

Auntie val.

-- Anonymous, March 10, 2001

Sounds to me like a keen 'kick them when their down' of a journo who would assasinate the Toon at any chance.

Perhaps he supports a London club, perhaps he knows we have the natural structure to become Man Utd no2, perhaps he doesnt want to see a potential future Celtic, Rangers situation with the two naturally biggest clubs strangling English football. Well he knows the potential is there anyway.

-- Anonymous, March 10, 2001

A shot in the dark, but perhaps he has simply been told that we haven't submitted the required report to the DOEEIS.

-- Anonymous, March 10, 2001

Actually, when I read that over, I don't see anything specifically saying WE haven't turned in whatever report/papers/etc they want. Just "some clubs". Another case of a reporter looking for a new way to knock NUFC?

Sorry, mum...err, Val, I'll try to do better next time. Though we really are quite hopeless administratively speaking. OW! Stop hitting me! ;-)

-- Anonymous, March 10, 2001

The Mirror are reporting that the Toon have still not complied with the request from the Immigration Authorities for information on the immigration documentation regarding certain foreign players, specifically South Americans. They say:

Today will be exactly a week beyond the two-week deadline set by the FA for clubs to hand over all documentation to the Immigration Services where a special unit of detectives are scrutinising the validity of passports.

Mirror Sport named three of Bobby Robson's players on Saturday under suspicion - and the club have not responded. The FA are privately shocked that Newcastle are refusing to hand over suspect passport paperwork for inspection.

A FA spokesman guardedly said: "We can confirm that the vast majority of clubs have responded to our request to forward the documentation to the Immigration Services. However there are a few cases outstanding, and these clubs are being encouraged to comply".

The FA are now in a difficult position as a Home Office spokesman said: "We didn't set any ultimatums or deadlines. Whether clubs chose to forward to us the documentation is a matter for them, and if they refuse then it is a matter for the FA".

Argentinian Christian Bassedas's Italian passport, Paraguay's Diego Gavilan's Spanish passport and Peru skipper Nolberto Solano's Greek credentials are under suspicion.

For the Toon to be refusing to meet this request for this documentation suggests to me they must be doing so strictly under legal advisement.
A confusing, and frankly worrying situation.

-- Anonymous, March 12, 2001

If true, it's pretty stupid. Avoiding the issue isn't going to make it go away, and will only make the consequences worse in the end.

Still not entirely convinced about the validity of this considering 1) It's the Mirror 2) They still don't attribute the FA officially naming us as one of the clubs not complying 3)It's the Mirror, a southern-based paper always happy to stir things up where NUFC is concerned.

-- Anonymous, March 12, 2001