A PREMIER League star’s family have held over match fixing after a hopeless underdog team won 5-0 – their first victory in 17 league games.
The sister and nephew of the former top player are among 11 people arrested, which also includes five footballers and three WAGs.
Cops launched a gambling probe after a flurry of suspicious bets were placed on a Welsh league game between hard-up Port Talbot Town FC and seaside minnows Rhyl.
Underdogs Rhyl stunned fans when they romped to victory by five goals – having not won any of their previous 17 matches.
Five players and five others including three women believed to be WAGS connected to Port Talbot were pinched at their homes yesterday morning.
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More than £30k of bets were made through bookies Bet365 with odds ranging from 8-1 that Rhyl would be losing at half time and at the final whistle to 100/1 that Rhyl would win 5-0.
The result was even more of a shock because Port Talbot had beaten Rhyl 3-0 just two weeks earlier before the return match at Belle Vue Park, Rhyl in April.
A police spokesman said: “South Wales Police has arrested 10 people relating to allegations of match fixing of a Welsh Premier League fixture involving Port Talbot Town Football Club.
“Seven men and three women were arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to defraud as part of an ongoing investigation by the force’s Economic Crime Unit, they are all currently in police custody.”
Officials have studied the video footage of the match which shows some “very sloppy” Port Talbot defending for all five goals – and a Port Talbot player smashing a penalty high over the bar.
One viewer said: “It is some of the worst defending I have ever seen, the strikers had free reign.”
In the video highlights Port Talbot centre forward Martin Rose balloons a penalty way over the bar in one of their few attacks.
Goalkeeper Steven Cann’s main actions are picking the ball out of the net five times – after his defenders appear to be jogging around the pitch as Rhyl strikers run through on goal.
One Rhyl fan said: “It was incredible result – it was like all our dreams come true after going such a long time.
“We all joked that we wished we had a fiver on that result.”
All Welsh Premier League players must sign an agreement before each season, which includes a pledge not to bet on games and competitions in which they appear.
Football Association of Wales Chief Executive Jonathan Ford said: “These arrests are as result of a thorough process of evidence gathering and close co-operation between the FAW, South Wales Police and the Gambling Commission.
“The FAW will not bring any sporting sanctions against any individuals while the police investigation is ongoing.”
Those arrested are seven men aged between 20 and 48 all from the Neath, Port Talbot and Swansea area and three women aged 33, 43, and 28 all from Swansea or Port Talbot area.
The hard-up Port Talbot team were relegated from the Welsh Premier League despite finishing outside of the league’s bottom two because of “financial difficulties”.
An average of £575,000 is bet on each Welsh Premier League match every week.
Richard Watson, Gambling Commission programme director, said: “The Gambling Commission Sports Betting Intelligence Unit (SBIU) provided information to South Wales Police concerning betting patterns seen on a Welsh Premier League fixture between Rhyl and Port Talbot Town.
“The SBIU will continue to support all sports governing bodies, law enforcement agencies, betting operators and other regulators in a collaborative effort to address issues of betting integrity.”
Port Talbot’s newly-appointed club chairman Gerald Payne said: “It is too early for us to comment at the moment.”
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