CHELMSFORD City’s chairman has said none of his club’s players, or officials, have ever been involved in match fixing.

Mansell Wallace said he and his staff were “just innocent bystanders” in the scandal which has gripped the non-league football world.

Last week, seven men were arrested by National Crime Agency officers following an investigation into alleged match fixing in England.

Earlier this year bookies stopped taking bets on games involving the Clarets, Billericay Town and AFC Hornchurch in the Conference South after strange betting practices were noticed.

Despite this, Mr Mansell said police had not been in touch with him - or anyone else at Chelmsford over the matter.

He said: “We are totally innocent and are just innocent bystanders in all of this.

“All anyone at the club has done is read about it in the press.

“None of our players or officials are involved in any match fixing.”

He went onto say the club would assist with any investigation if approached by detectives or footballing authorities.

Mr Mansell said: “We would help if asked from the police or the FA as we want to see this scandal stamped out as much as anyone else.

“Nobody likes the game to be called into question like this and it is just so sad that this is happening when people should be concentrating on football.”

On Friday, Chann Sankaran, 33, of Hawthorn Road, Hastings, East Sussex, and Krishna Sanjey Ganeshan, 43, of Hougang Avenue, Singapore, appeared at Cannock Magistrates’ Court.

The pair have been charged plotting to defraud bookmakers, but were not asked to plea.

They are due to appear at Birmingham Crown Court on December 13 and have been remanded in custody.

Bail has been granted to the other five men arrested pending further enquiries.