Fred Done, the Manchester United-mad bookmaker who famously paid out before the Reds had passed the winning post last year, has been asked not to repeat the gesture by none other than Alex Ferguson.
Ferguson, a regular diner at Done's eaterie in Manchester city centre, pleaded with the Reds fanatic after last season's early Premiership pay-out backfired on the bookmaker and his favourite football team.
That is the story relayed to Sports Betting yesterday by Paul Quigley, studio manager at Done's headquarters who works alongside Done, the layer who taught PR guru Max Clifford a thing or two about public relations last year, even if it did cost him money.
"Fred's got a restaurant, The Lincoln, in the city centre. Fergie goes in from time to time," said Quigley.
"One night Fred said to Alex that if United collected a few more points he'd consider paying punters who'd backed them to win the title.
"Let's say that Alex warned Fred off in a polite way. He remembers only too well what happened last season.
"Being a huge United fan, Fred's only too happy to wait until United are mathematically certain to lift the title.
"Besides, it'd cost him a fair few quid in restaurant bookings if he went against Alex's wishes and paid out early."
Quigley also gave punters an insight into how Dones will bet on next season's Premiership before this year's competition has reached its conclusion.
He envisages United being around 11-8 to win the title in the year 2000, with Arsenal at approximately 9-4 and Chelsea third favourites at about 5-1.
Leeds, who dealt a hammer blow to Arsenal's prospects of retaining the Premiership by beating the Gunners 1-0 with an 87th-minute Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink strike, his 18th league goal this season, could be the springers when betting opens on the 1999-2000 campaign.
Chelsea were this season's target of the each-way thieves, backed at fancy prices before the World Cup had finished.
And Dones could get filled in by speculative punters next season if, as Quigley forecasts, the Lancashire-based layers chalk up 14-1 or 16-1 about the best team in Yorkshire. by Racing Post 13/05/1999 BACK TO TOP ^ |
