A FOOTBALL agent has denied any wrongdoing after becoming embroiled in an investigation that led to the sacking of the England manager.

Dax Price, a former Hove schoolboy who grew up in Hangleton, was among those quizzed by undercover reporters posing as Far East football investors and the latest footage shows him involved in meetings before an assistant manager was handed an envelope with £5,000.

Mr Price exclusively told The Argus: "I haven't done anything wrong. It has all been above board.

"I don't want to say anything at the moment. I have been told by my lawyers not to say anything."

Mr Price, who went to Blatchington Mill school, was filmed twice as part of the same ten-month investigation by the Daily Telegraph.

Yesterday footage emerged of the former amateur boxer seemingly involved in a deal between the fictitious investors and Barnsley FC assistant manager Tommy Wright.

In the footage, on greeting the undercover reporter, Mr Wright says, "Nice to meet you. You're better looking than Daxy," referring to Dax Price, who he is understood to have known for a number of years.

It was reported that Mr Wright arranged to help persuade Barnsley players to hire the Far East firm as their agents, as well as recommending that Barnsley sign players part-owned or represented by the consortium.

Mr Price, 45, tells the undercover reporter: “Right, listen, we’ve got to give him some readies to get him started. Can we give the cash?”

Two days later Mr Wright was filmed being handed an envelope believed to contain £5,000. Footage shows him later on with the envelope in his jacket pocket.

The Telegraph also reports that Mr Price described Mr Wright as “his man” and “the geezer we’re bunging money to put players in”.

In footage published on Wednesday, Mr Price adds: "It's almost like corruption is just staring you in the face.

"And I tell you what it is, it's the old factor, it's not what you know it's who you know."

Mr Price added that one manager made players give him (the manager) kickbacks in return for pay-rises.

Mr Price said: "Basically every month they would come into his office with £4,000 cash - each of them. So he was getting £12,000 quid. Because what happened was, when they had done the deal, he basically said, 'Right they have done the wages and they've said right you're going to get 10 grand a week. You're going to get 10 grand a week - it's done. So I'm going to give you 12 grand a week and you're going to give me four grand a month.' So obviously they were getting four grand a month extra and he was getting four grand - you know what I mean?"

The investigation led to the sacking of England manager Sam Allardyce on Monday after the 61-year-old was filmed discussing a £400,000 deal and his views on the banned practice of third-party player ownership.

CRITICAL BLOW FOR ONE-TIME BOXER THE BODYSNATCHER

HE might have been dubbed “The Bodysnatcher” in his amateur boxing days but Dax Price appears to be the one on the ropes following a newspaper sting that has rocked the world of professional football.

Speaking exclusively to The Argus yesterday, the 45-year-old who grew up in Hangleton sounded wounded as he denied any wrongdoing over video footage that appears to show him arranging cash payments to senior football figures.

Earlier that day, the Daily Telegraph had rolled out its latest coverage showing covert journalists posing as Far East investors.

Mr Price is on video as a deal is made between the fictitious investors and Barnsley FC assistant manager Tommy Wright, who is later filmed being handed an envelope believed to contain £5,000.

Mr Price is depicted telling the undercover reporter that “we’ve got to give [Mr Wright] some readies to get him started. Can we give the cash?”

The Telegraph also alleges that Mr Price described Mr Wright as “his man” and “the geezer we’re bunging money to put players in”.

One agent caught up in the same sting, Italian Pino Pagliara – banned from football for five years for match-fixing in 2005 – is reportedly a business partner of Mr Price.

The Telegraph alleges that Mr Pagliara was presented to senior Barnsley figures (with Mr Wright’s knowledge) as a “translator” called Joseph because of fears Barnsley would pull the plug on any deal if they knew who he really was.

Mr Pagliara can be seen in the covert footage that led to Mr Wright’s sacking by Barnsley yesterday lunchtime despite him denying any wrongdoing.

In an earlier video Mr Price talks about how corruption in football is “just staring you in the face” and “it’s not what you know, it’s who you know”.

Mr Price goes on to explain how he knows of a situation where a manager gets kickbacks from players for who he has arranged a pay rise.

The investigation began by bringing about the downfall of England boss Sam Allardyce on Monday.

The events are a far cry from the life of Mr Price growing up and attending Blatchington Mill school before turning to boxing, which was in the family.

Mr Price later dabbled in holiday tours, arranging trips for sportsmen and others.

His company, Hotel Link Worldwide, based in Southwick, was dissolved in 2014.

At about this time another business of his, Forward Sports Consultancy Ltd, listed at an address in Hove, was incorporated.

But it has not filed any accounts and is set to be struck off the register by Companies House and dissolved.

He then set up similar companies – Forward Sports Management Ltd and Forward Sports Agency Ltd – based in London.

Mr Price would frequently call the sports desk of The Argus with tip-offs about players he was looking after in the lower leagues – some of who had trials at top clubs.

Will Miles of non-league Burgess Hill went on trial with Premier League Stoke City in January 2015 while teenage centre-back and Eastbourne Borough academy striker Dean Bown also spent a week training with the Potters.

A month earlier Bown had a trial at Championship side Reading and Mr Price also helped Charlie Walker earn a move from Peacehaven to Luton Town last summer, with a recommendation from former Whitehawk boss and Albion striker Darren Freeman.

Mr Price told The Argus at the time: “It is a brilliant move for Charlie. He is going there to play games. He has been told he will be involved in every game as long as he works hard and does well.”

There is no suggestion of impropriety in these moves and Peacehaven did not benefit from Walker’s move to Luton by way of a fee.

Sources tell The Argus how Mr Price had “the gift of the gab” and that he was a “big mate of [Manchester United midfielder] Michael Carrick”.

One of the now-defunct companies Mr Price led was Emerging Sports Talent (EST), which looked after, among others, former Brighton and Hove Albion player Courtney Richards, who was in the Seagulls’ under-21 squad. EST was also involved with former Albion coach Luke Williams, who now manages Swindon Town. Brighton and Hove Albion did not want to comment on either connection.

None of these people linked to Price is alleged to be involved in any wrongdoing.

The latest allegations also focus on QPR manager Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink, who was secretly filmed by The Telegraph seemingly negotiating a figure of £55,000 to fly abroad and speak to investors, which the newspaper says made clear he was interested in getting involved in player transfers.

Hasselbaink was represented by EST when the Dutchman was on the coaching staff at Nottingham Forest. This was from July 2011 until January 2013. He joined QPR in December 2015. Hasselbaink has insisted he is innocent and QPR have stood by their man as he prepares for a Championship fixture this weekend.

After the departure of England’s Big Sam and Barnsley’s Mr Wright it is not yet clear if others could well follow as the investigation unravels. How much of a fight they put up remains to be seen.

‘IT WAS A SILLY THING TO DO’

SAM Allardyce, the disgraced former England manager, was the first head to roll as part of the investigation.

On Monday footage by the Daily Telegraph showed the 61-year-old being filmed discussing a £400,000 deal and his views on the banned practice of third-party ownership, where an agent or company has a stake in a footballer.

Before fleeing to “Big Sam’s Villa” in Benidorm with his £1 million pay-out, Allardyce addressed reporters outside his home.

He said: “I think that on reflection it was a silly thing to do.

“Unfortunately, it was an error of judgement on my behalf and I’ve paid the consequences.

“Entrapment has won on this occasion and I have to accept that.

“I apologise to those and all concerned in this unfortunate situation I’ve put myself in.

“I’m going to go away and reflect on it. I am off abroad, just to chill out and reflect.”

He wished the England players and current manager Gareth Southgate, who hails from Crawley, the best for the future and left the door open over whether he would return to football.