FA investigates claim of ‘systematic corruption’ in proposed £600m Wembley Stadium deal

Craig Kline, the former assistant director of football at Fulham Football Club, tweeted: ‘Dear FA Council ... I have key evidence of systematic corruption relevant to the Wembley vote which I’d like to submit’

The Football Association is investigating serious allegations of ‘systematic corruption’ relating to the proposed £600m sale of Wembley Stadium.

On Monday Craig Kline, the former assistant director of football at Fulham, tweeted: “Dear FA Council ... I have key evidence of systematic corruption relevant to the Wembley vote which I’d like to submit. Please request this info from me.” The tweet was accompanied by a number of hashtags including “fraud”, “racism”, “kickbacks” and “minors”.

Wembley could be sold to Fulham FC owner Shahid Khan (Getty)

The FA said in a statement: “We have recently been contacted by Craig Kline who has made a series of allegations about Fulham FC. We are currently in the process of reviewing these allegations.” Fulham reject all claims made by Kline.

Kline, an American data expert, left Fulham under a cloud last November after clashing with other senior figures and following an incident in which he called police to the training ground. After his departure he tweeted a series of serious allegations about club practices which were later deleted.

Kline was a longstanding friend of Fulham’s vice-chairman Tony Khan since childhood, and in a follow-up tweet on Tuesday he claimed that the pair of them had worked together to build a “paper trail” of evidence proving “so much fraud in football”. However it is understood they have had no contact since Kline’s acrimonious exit nearly 12 months ago and that Khan is dismayed to be linked in any way to the allegations.

Fulham’s owner, Tony’s father Shahid Khan, has offered the FA £600m to buy Wembley and the proposal moved a step closer last month after it was approved by the FA board.