7 Oct 2011

Rooney's father arrested over suspected betting scam

7:00 am on 7 October 2011

The father and uncle of Manchester United and England football striker Wayne Rooney are among nine men arrested as part of an inquiry into an alleged betting scam.

Merseyside police say nine men were arrested after the Scottish Football Association confirmed one of the men was 26-year-old Motherwell midfielder Steven Jennings, who comes from Liverpool and now lives in Glasgow.

The charges relate to suspicious betting patterns surrounding the Scottish Premier League match between Motherwell and Heart of Midlothian last December.

Wayne Rooney senior, 48, was detained at his home in Liverpool and Rooney's uncle Richie, 54, was also detained.

The Scottish FA says the arrests follow extensive inquiries into alleged betting irregularities at the Scottish Premier League match.

Jennings, who joined Motherwell in 2009 from Tranmere Rovers, Liverpool's third club after Everton and Liverpool, was sent off in the 83rd minute of the match against Hearts, who won the game 2-1.