Man City urged to ditch footballer embroiled in cash row

Manchester City FC has been urged to portion ways with footballer Natasha Harding, who is facing allegations she took thousands of pounds from teammates, parents and businesses that she did not wage back.

The erstwhile Wales international, who present uses her joined sanction Allen-Wyatt, often appears arsenic a pundit and commentator for Manchester City connected their women's games.

She is facing claims including that she took wealth for one-to-one coaching with children that she did not deliver.

Ms Allen-Wyatt said she had to cancel "some sessions" owed to circumstances extracurricular of her control, and apologised to those affected.

Since the BBC reported the allegations from parents, teammates and businesses who sponsored the Tash Harding Academy, a fig of others person been successful interaction alleging they besides mislaid money.

Reports person been made to a fig of constabulary forces successful Wales and England, immoderate of which person besides been passed connected to Action Fraud, the BBC has been told.

Action Fraud said astatine slightest 1 study is "currently being assessed" by the National Fraud Intelligence Bureau.

The BBC understands portion Ms Allen-Wyatt is not a nonstop worker of the club, she has been moving for them connected a freelance ground until precise recently.

She past appeared arsenic a pundit connected Manchester City's Matchday Live programme connected 8 November alongside ex-England goalkeeper Karen Bardsley, who present manages the Manchester City Women FC Academy.

The club's website besides states that she commentated connected the Women's Super League (WSL) lucifer betwixt Manchester City and Chelsea connected 16 November.

Ms Allen-Wyatt, who won 103 caps for Wales, besides played for Manchester City successful 2015 earlier moving to Liverpool, Reading and Aston Villa.

Manchester City FC person been approached for comment.

Steve Lloyd, who chairs a grassroots nine that claims to person mislaid £650 aft investing successful the Tash Harding Academy earlier this year, said helium felt the nine had a "moral and ethical duty" to chopped ties with Ms Allen-Wyatt.

He praised Manchester City, whose women's squad are presently sitting 2nd spot successful the WSL down Chelsea, for being a "massive protagonist of the girls’ and women’s game".

But helium said helium felt they needed to talk out.

"To beryllium getting the vulnerability that Manchester City gives [Ms Allen-Wyatt], I deliberation it’s a motivation and ethical work for them to halt her freelance employment," helium said.

He added helium felt they should, "speak retired successful enactment of the radical who person been making these allegations, alternatively than brushing it nether the carpet".

Dreigiau Dâr FC successful Aberdare is tally by volunteers and aims to supply escaped coaching for children from each backgrounds.

They said they paid £650 to Ms Allen-Wyatt successful instrumentality for 20% of her academy's profits and 12 coaching sessions with the club.

Only 2 sessions were held and the nine received nary nett from the academy.

Steve and different genitor besides paid for blocks of one-to-one coaching sessions for their children, that were besides lone partially fulfilled. They said they had asked for refunds but had not received immoderate wealth back.

Steve's 10-year-old girl Eliza said she had hoped to play for Wales 1 time but had been near feeling "sad" erstwhile the sessions failed to materialise.

Speaking connected Radio Wales Breakfast connected Thursday, Steve said: "As we each cognize now, determination is simply a hellhole of a batch much parents, companies and different individuals who are retired determination who person suffered the aforesaid heartache arsenic well.

“Ideally successful the expansive strategy of things it would beryllium fantastic if everyone was to get their hard-earned wealth back, but it’s going to beryllium a agelong and hard process."

Ms Allen-Wyatt did not respond to the allegations made by her erstwhile teammates oregon by businesses.

She said the cancellations were owed to circumstances including "my car being written disconnected and the 2nd car breaking down" and that refunds had been paid to immoderate parents and agreed with others.

She said she acceptable up the academy to supply low-cost, "detailed method coaching" to springiness children "the opportunities that I ne'er had".

She said she was inactive operating it and "delivering section sessions".