SHAMED ref David Coote was at the centre of an FA betting probe last night after it emerged he discussed giving a yellow card before a match.
Coote, 42, messaged a pal afterwards: “I hope you backed as discussed.”
The FA said it was investigating the “very serious allegations as a matter of urgency”.
Coote denies any wrongdoing.
Refs’ body the PGMOL — which suspended Coote earlier this month over a foul-mouthed rant about ex-Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp — was last night poring over the latest “very serious allegations”.
A separate investigation was also launched by the FA “as a matter of urgency” into the messages, which came before and after a Leeds United versus West Bromwich Albion game in October 2019.
It is understood that Coote accepts a discussion took place, but claims it was only “banter” and nothing improper took place.
There is no suggestion that the referee made any financial gains.
Coote, who was filmed snorting white powder during the Euros this summer, said last night in a statement: “Whatever issues I may have had in my personal life they have never affected my decision-making on the field.
“I have always held the integrity of the game in the highest regard, refereeing matches impartially and to the best of my ability.”
In the new exchange unearthed by The Sun, Coote appears keen to impress a Leeds fan he met online.
He bragged that he was set to officiate in the upcoming Leeds- West Brom Championship clash.
The pal says he jokingly told Coote to give a yellow card to Leeds left-back Ezgjan Alioski so he could put a bet on it at the bookies beforehand.
The day before the game, Coote tells him: “Yeah really good I’ve got Leeds tomorrow.”
The friend replied: “Ooh big game. We still on for what we discussed (Alioski). Maybe I could join you if so.”
Coote replies: “Haha don’t know what you mean.”
His friend then posts: “Haha well I’m off to back it in the morning so don’t let me down.”
I hope you backed as discussed
David Coote
Coote answered: “Haha will see.”
The following evening, Alioski is booked in the 18th minute of the game for a sliding challenge on Darnell Furlong.
Last night football experts said the booking was fully justified given the nature of the tackle.
Leeds eventually won the game 1-0 with a goal from Alioski.
The following day, Coote messaged his friend again to say: “What a day yesterday. I hope you backed as discussed.”
The pal tells him that he did not put money on it but he believes another friend “backed it though”.
Coote then replies: “Haha he will have to share with you then.”
Football bosses were last night examining the latest shock revelations to ensure no corruption exists within the game.
Speaking on condition of anonymity, the pal told The Sun yesterday: “My first contact with David Coote was online. When I got talking to him a bit more, I found out about his job as a football referee.
“I jokingly told him to give Alioski a yellow card in the Leeds United game the following day against West Bromwich Albion, so I could back this in the bookies.
“He sarcastically replied, ‘Haha will see’. Just 18 minutes into the game the next day Alioski was booked.
“It was Leeds’ only yellow card in the match.
“He messaged me a while after the game and said, ‘I hope you backed as discussed’.”
The latest allegations come after Coote was suspended for a wide-eyed rant about Liverpool and their then-manager Klopp.
Last night sources close to the ref suggested he may have engaged in “inappropriate banter” and sent “ill-judged” messages.
But they ruled out any suggestion of corruption or deliberately booking players, and say he always officiated with “integrity and impartiality”.
The PGMOL said last night: “The facts need to be established in light of these very serious allegations.
“We adopt a zero-tolerance approach to any breach of our Integrity Code of Conduct, which is signed by all match officials on an annual basis.
“PGMOL Board is committed to taking the appropriate action should any breach of that Code be proven. David Coote remains suspended and subject to an ongoing disciplinary process by PGMOL, separate to the investigation into this matter which will be carried out independently by the FA.
“We will be making no further comment at this stage.”
The Football Association added: “These are very serious allegations and we are investigating as a matter of urgency.”
THE Sun revealed earlier this month that David Coote was filmed snorting white powder at the Euros this summer.
Footage showed him sniffing the substance at a hotel in Germany the day after the France-Portugal quarter-final, where he was a support VAR official.
He sent another photo a few days beforehand showing his credit cards next to six chopped-up white lines.
We then revealed he tried to arrange a “drugs party” in messages sent at half-time in Spurs’ Carabao Cup tie with Man City last month.
He was suspended after he was filmed calling Jurgen Klopp a “German c***”.
