Jimmy Gauld
Encyclopedia
James "Jimmy" Gauld is a former Scottish
footballer who became notorious for being convicted of instigating the British betting scandal of 1964
.
Born in Aberdeen
, Gauld played for Waterford United
, Charlton Athletic
, Everton
, Plymouth Argyle F.C.
, Swindon Town
, St. Johnstone F.C. and Mansfield Town
before his career was ended by a broken
leg.
However, it was to transpire that Gauld had pursued a shadow career of match fixing
and, in search of a final "payday", in 1964, he sold his story to the Sunday People for GBP7,000, incriminating three Sheffield Wednesday
players that he had enticed into the scheme: Peter Swan, Tony Kay
and David Layne
. Gauld's taped conversations were ultimately to convict himself and the three Sheffield Wednesday players, the judge
making it clear that he held Gauld responsible for ruining the other three.
Gauld, described as the "central figure", was fined a massive £5,000 and sentenced
to four years' imprisonment
for conspiracy to defraud
. He and the others were suspended from football for life by the Football Association.
The incident was dramatised in 1997 in a BBC
film The Fix
, directed by Paul Greengrass
, in which the role of Gauld was played by Christopher Fulford
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
footballer who became notorious for being convicted of instigating the British betting scandal of 1964
British betting scandal of 1964
The British betting scandal of 1964 was a scandal in English association football in which eight professional players were jailed for offences arising from match fixing....
.
Born in Aberdeen
Aberdeen
Aberdeen is Scotland's third most populous city, one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas and the United Kingdom's 25th most populous city, with an official population estimate of ....
, Gauld played for Waterford United
Waterford United
Waterford United is an Irish football club playing in the First Division of the League of Ireland. The club was founded and elected to the league in 1930 and hails from Waterford. Originally the club was based at Kilcohan Park greyhound stadium, but have now moved to the Waterford Regional Sports...
, Charlton Athletic
Charlton Athletic F.C.
Charlton Athletic Football Club is an English professional football club based in Charlton, in the London Borough of Greenwich. They compete in Football League One, the third tier of English football. The club was founded on 9 June 1905, when a number of youth clubs in the southeast London area,...
, Everton
Everton F.C.
Everton Football Club are an English professional association football club from the city of Liverpool. The club competes in the Premier League, the highest level of English football...
, Plymouth Argyle F.C.
Plymouth Argyle F.C.
Plymouth Argyle Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Plymouth, Devon, that plays in Football League Two.Since becoming professional in 1903, the club has won five Football League titles, five Southern League titles and one Western League title. The 2009–10 season was the...
, Swindon Town
Swindon Town F.C.
Swindon Town Football Club are a team based in Swindon, Wiltshire. Currently in League Two, Swindon have been managed by Paolo Di Canio since 23 May 2011...
, St. Johnstone F.C. and Mansfield Town
Mansfield Town F.C.
Mansfield Town Football Club is an English football club from the former mining town of Mansfield, Nottinghamshire. The club was formed in 1897 as Mansfield Wesleyans and changed its name to Mansfield Wesley in 1906 before settling on Mansfield Town in 1910...
before his career was ended by a broken
Bone fracture
A bone fracture is a medical condition in which there is a break in the continuity of the bone...
leg.
However, it was to transpire that Gauld had pursued a shadow career of match fixing
Match fixing
In organised sports, match fixing, game fixing, race fixing, or sports fixing occurs as a match is played to a completely or partially pre-determined result, violating the rules of the game and often the law. Where the sporting competition in question is a race then the incident is referred to as...
and, in search of a final "payday", in 1964, he sold his story to the Sunday People for GBP7,000, incriminating three Sheffield Wednesday
Sheffield Wednesday F.C.
Sheffield Wednesday Football Club are a football club based in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England, who are currently competing in the Football League One in the 2011-12 season, in England. Sheffield Wednesday are one of the oldest professional clubs in the world and the fourth oldest in the...
players that he had enticed into the scheme: Peter Swan, Tony Kay
Tony Kay
Anthony Herbert Kay is a former English footballer who became notorious after being banned from the professional game for life following the British betting scandal of 1964....
and David Layne
David Layne
David "Bronco" Layne is a former English footballer most famous for playing for Sheffield Wednesday and his involvement in the British betting scandal of 1964....
. Gauld's taped conversations were ultimately to convict himself and the three Sheffield Wednesday players, the judge
Judge
A judge is a person who presides over court proceedings, either alone or as part of a panel of judges. The powers, functions, method of appointment, discipline, and training of judges vary widely across different jurisdictions. The judge is supposed to conduct the trial impartially and in an open...
making it clear that he held Gauld responsible for ruining the other three.
Gauld, described as the "central figure", was fined a massive £5,000 and sentenced
Sentence (law)
In law, a sentence forms the final explicit act of a judge-ruled process, and also the symbolic principal act connected to his function. The sentence can generally involve a decree of imprisonment, a fine and/or other punishments against a defendant convicted of a crime...
to four years' imprisonment
Imprisonment
Imprisonment is a legal term.The book Termes de la Ley contains the following definition:This passage was approved by Atkin and Duke LJJ in Meering v Grahame White Aviation Co....
for conspiracy to defraud
Conspiracy to defraud
Conspiracy to defraud is an offence under the common law of England and Wales and Northern Ireland.-England and Wales:The standard definition of a conspiracy to defraud was provided by Lord Dilhorne in Scott v Metropolitan Police Commissioner, when he said that Conspiracy to defraud therefore...
. He and the others were suspended from football for life by the Football Association.
The incident was dramatised in 1997 in a BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
film The Fix
The Fix (TV film)
The Fix is a 1997 television film first shown on BBC One and directed by Paul Greengrass.It tells the story of the British betting scandal of 1964, following which a number of British professional footballers were jailed and banned from football for life for conspiring to fix the results of...
, directed by Paul Greengrass
Paul Greengrass
Paul Greengrass is an English film director, screenwriter and former journalist. He specialises in dramatisations of real-life events and is known for his signature use of hand-held cameras.-Life and career:...
, in which the role of Gauld was played by Christopher Fulford
Christopher Fulford
Christopher Fulford is a British actor who is best known for his supporting roles in many British TV shows.In his early career he often appeared in British crime dramas. He was guest star of both the ITV crime series Inspector Morse, in Driven to Destruction and as a killer in the early A Touch...
External links
- Biography at Swindon Town website
- Statistics at Neilbrown