Ex-pro: Gambling rife

Eddie Annand, who played for eight different clubs in Scotland, was speaking in the wake of the news that the father and uncle of Manchester United and England striker Wayne Rooney were among nine men arrested on Thursday as part of an inquiry into an alleged betting scam.

Those charges related to suspicious betting patterns surrounding the Scottish Premier League match between Motherwell and Heart of Midlothian last December. Motherwell player Steven Jennings was among those arrested.

Annand (pictured playing for Ayr United back in 2002) said he wasn't surprised at the news in an explosive interview with the Daily Record.

"It's naive to think football is clean, it's not and people in the game know it. There have been a number of shady goings-on during my time in the game," he told the paper.

"There is a dark side to football gambling. It's a disgrace to bet against your club but we all know it goes on.

"For some players it's too tempting to deliberately throw aspects of a game as they can make more than they earn.

"Gambling is deep-rooted in football and it's the biggest talking-point in dressing rooms before matches."

Annand, who played for the likes of Dundee and St Mirren, went on to talk about personal experiences from his career.

"I recall getting a phone call one Friday night from someone telling me the result of a game the following day. The caller was spot-on but he should have been as he was playing for the team that lost and he'd stuck a £2,000 bet on that happening," he said.

In another story he recounted a time when his team-mates were looking for him to score the first goal so they could all cash in a bet.

"During a spell at one club I received a call from my manager on a Friday night before a match and he asked me if I could take a fitness test to see if I could make the game," explained Annand.

"I hadn't played for six weeks but passed the test. On the day of the game I took a call from a well-known Old Firm player who asked me if I was going to be playing because the bookies had me at 12-1 to score the first goal and clearly didn't think I would be playing.

"By the time word got round, the odds had been slashed because all my team-mates had so much money on me.

"One of them - who was the club's penalty-taker - took me aside in the warm-up and asked if, on this occasion, I could hit them. I asked him why and he said: 'Because I've got £50 on you to score first'.

"I had £100 on myself and managed to score after just two minutes and ran away rubbing my hands together, which was the trademark of a certain big-name striker who was the first to do it.

"It was the code in football for getting the bet up and it was good news for another of my team-mates that day. He was happy as he'd bet so much on me to score first he paid off his car."

Despite the controversy, Annand said he does not have a problem with a footballer betting, as long as they do not bet on their team to lose.

"I don't have a problem with players betting on themselves to win. It means they are trying their best to ensure that happens although it's maybe not the healthiest thing to do as it can affect your focus," he said.

"It's when it goes the other way and players throw games or deliberately get booked or sent off that action needs to be taken.

"It is the lowest of the low to let down your club, the fans and your team-mates just to make a quick buck."