DAN SMITH - HITMAN FOR HIRE?
The seen was set. Arsenal had made history by qualifying for the European Champions League Final. It was suppose to be a moment to savour in their last ever season at the most famous of stadium - Highbury. The entire club - staff, players, the manager, coaches and fans were all looking forward to this historic moment. But with just minutes remaining one of the last Remaining league games before the big game DISASTER struck.
The Arsenal were playing away from home against already relegated Sunderland and were cruising to a facile victory thanks to the magnificence of star striker Theirry Henry but with minutes remaining new £5million signing from Auxerre Abou Diaby was left pole-axed on the ground under a horror challenge from Sunderland substitute Dan Smith.
At the time, the tackled looked bad and with Diaby writhing in agony on the ground, Arsenal players rounded on the referee and Dan Smith demanding justice. The player only received a yellow card but according to sources in Spain even a red card would not of troubled the player.
Arsenal's opponents in the final of the Champions League is non other than the historic institution that is FC Barcelona. The Pride of the Catalan nation. A team packed full of world stars like Brazilian Ronaldinho and African Player of the Year Samuel Eto'o and are led by the Dutch hardman Frank Rijkaard.
It was supposed to be a great finale to the season. Two great sporting intuitions head to head But according to source within Barcelona it would seem that this wasn't to be the fairest of finals.
It is alleged that Barcelona were so desperate to guarantee victory that they decided to give themselves an extra edge and make sure that Arsenal had trouble fielding a strong team for the final.
Worried by the way the English side had out battled bitter rivals Real Madrid and runaway Italian Italian league winners Juventus they set out on a desperate mission to GET Arsenal.
It is believed that on that a few days before the Sunderland match -Barcelona Club Secretary
XAVIER CHAMBRA - flew to Liverpool in England to meet with 4 players from Sunderland in a hotel.
It was there that payment was made for an extraordinary act - GET HENRY AND MAKE SURE HE DOESN'T MAKE THE FINAL.
If Henry was unavailable then target other players.
It is believed the players received three payments - ONE as a 'sweetener' to let them know Barcelona were serious, two
In the hotel as acceptance of the dirty deed and the third upon completion.
It is believed than Dan SMITH was one of the four players.
All of the information we have received - including tape recordings and video evidence - have been passed on to the correct authorities and tonight a spokeswoman from the Arsenal was refusing to comment on the matter but admitted their disappointment.
