Former Latics player Delroy Facey has been found guilty of conspiracy to bribe non-league players and has been jailed for two and a half years. Facey offered players at non-league Hyde FC the chance to make some 'easy money' by fixing a match. He also offered some Conference teams to 'do' a game in return for payment. In one text conversation in 2013, Facey offered Hyde striker Scott Spencer £2,000. The text read, “You lot get rinsed out, week in, week out. You should make some money out of this lad, easy money. Check this out. Four goals in a game — two in either half — and you guys can get £2,000 each, win lose or draw.” Co-accused player Moses Swaibu was also convicted.
Birmingham Judge Mary Stacey said, “You have been a role model, but you have abused that position. It’s about the fans of the teams involved, the families who follow the fortunes of their teams with passion, loyalty and devotion. They assume all the players in those teams will be sharing in that and playing their hardest and best. You have betrayed all that trust. It’s like a cancer at the heart of football. In both cases, your motivation was financial greed.”