Stretford was charged with failing to protect Rooney’s interests and failing to respect the rights of third parties. Stretford was also charged with “making of false and/or misleading witness statements to police and giving false and/or misleading testimony to Warrington Crown Court” in a case about the circumstances of how he came to represent the England striker.

An FA statement read: “The commission found that Mr Stretford did encourage Mr Rooney and his parents to enter into a representation agreement with Proactive Sports Management Limited on July 17 2002 although he knew Mr Rooney was still then under contract with Pro-Form Sports Management Limited.”

In relation to the Warrington Crown Court case, the commission found proven two improper conduct charges.

The statement added: “The commission found that Mr Stretford had made a misleading witness statement and had given untruthful evidence in court in criminal proceedings in Warrington Crown Court, particularly in relation to the existence, dates and nature of those representation agreements dated July 17 2002 and September 19 2002.”

A further charge of entering into a representation contract with Rooney for eight years – six years longer than the two-year limit for written contracts between agents and their clients – was also proved.
Two other charges of failing to lodge representation contracts with the FA were also proved, but a third was not.

Stretford described the verdicts as “a travesty” and said he will be launching an immediate appeal.
He said in a statement: “I believe the verdicts of the disciplinary panel against me are a travesty of the facts heard by its members during the hearing.

“I will be lodging an immediate appeal against the verdicts and continue to maintain my complete innocence of the charges brought against me.

“These charges came about as a result of my appearance at a criminal trial as a witness for the prosecution against men accused of blackmailing me with menaces.

“In pursuing their case against me, the FA seems almost wilfully to have cast me as the accused in the trial rather than a prosecution witness acting properly in the interests of justice.”
Stretford believes had the case been heard in public, the outcome would have been favourable.
He added: “It has always been my contention that the FA case against me should have been heard in public and by an independent panel. Had that been the case, I believe the verdicts would have been very different.

“Finally, I would like to add my sincere thanks at this stage to all those who gave evidence at the FA hearing on my behalf and particularly to Manchester United chief executive David Gill, [PFA chief executive] Gordon Taylor and to Wayne Rooney and his family.

“I appreciate their continuing support as well as that of the board of Formation Group with whose backing I
shall continue to fight against these unjust charges.”

This story was obtained through Eurosport

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