Holloway 'offered £30,000 by agent'

Ian Holloway, the Queen's Park Rangers manager, last night claimed to have been offered a £30,000 bung by a player's agent to facilitate a free transfer signing.

Holloway gave Luton Town manager Mike Newell some welcome support in the controversy over illegal payments during transfer talks and, like Newell, he has promised to name the alleged offender. However, also like Newell, he has admitted that any charge is going to be extremely difficult to prove.

Holloway said: "I thought I was getting a certain player on a free transfer. His agent then came back to me and said 'my fee is this amount and you will get that from it'.

"I went back to the board and said 'you must be joking'. I earn my money through my contract, not any other way. I've got nothing to hide. There are agents out there with whacking great wheelbarrows who say 'fill that with money'.

Holloway's comments were endorsed by former QPR chairman Nick Blackburn, who was in charge of the club when the alleged inducement was offered.