Stevens urged to conclude quickly

Premier League chief executive Richard Scudamore has urged Lord Stevens to 'get to the bottom' of the transfers he is still investigating as soon as possible.

Lord Stevens found no evidence of illegal payments at the end of a nine-month probe into football's so-called bung culture.

But although Stevens' Quest team have cleared 345 of the 362 transfer they were charged with investigating they have asked for more time to look into the remaining 17.

The delay has been caused by eight agents refusing to co-operate with their inquiries - among them Willie McKay, who revealed he had not filled in the questionnaire provided by the Quest team.

'He (Stevens) has to carry on and get absolutely to the bottom of them (the 17 transfers),' Scudamore told BBC Radio Four.

'I have no idea of timescale but the sooner it is the better. I certainly don't have any idea of cost either but we have not come this far without wanting it done completely and properly.'

Asked if he thought the agents refusing to co-operate should be suspended, Scudamore told BBC Radio Four: 'It sounds like a sensible idea. Clearly I want to put as much pressure on anybody involved in this inquiry to bring forward (evidence).

'I don't know precisely what power the FA have over those agents. Clearly it will be a matter for them (the FA). Let's see what happens over the next few days.

'I don't know why they (the eight agents) haven't co-operated. We don't deal with agents, we don't govern agents, which is the reason why Lord Stevens' recommendations include formally asking the FA to join us in this next phase (of the investigation). That's because the agents do have to answer to the FA.'

McKay told the Daily Mirror: 'I did not answer the questions on the questionnaire because as far as I am concerned the Football Association already had the information.

'I filled out all of the appropriate forms on all the deals at the time and there has never been any query about this. I have nothing to hide.'

A leaked copy of a communication sent to all Barclays Premiership club chairmen yesterday suggests the Premier League tried to persuade Stevens to take on board the clubs' concerns.

The Premier League insisted at the launch of Stevens' findings yesterday that his report has not been "shaped in any way" by them - but it is understood they did pass on 'advice' after the clubs had been shown the former Metropolitan Police commissioner's observations - but not recommendations.

Scudamore today again denied that any attempt had been made to water down Stevens' report.

'Absolutely not', he told BBC Radio Four.

'The clubs made some comments and we fed those into Lord Stevens but those recommendations you saw yesterday are his and the clubs had no input into them whatsoever.'

Instead, of naming names in his report, Lord Stevens made some searing criticisms of the Football Association and the accounting procedures of some unnamed clubs, producing 39 observations and recommendations.