Shamed David Coote at centre of betting probe after discussing booking player BEFORE game & saying ‘I hope you backed’

SHAMED ref David Coote was astatine the centre of an FA betting probe past nighttime aft it emerged helium discussed giving a yellowish paper earlier a match.

Coote, 42, messaged a pal afterwards: “I anticipation you backed arsenic discussed.”

The FA said it was investigating the “very superior allegations arsenic a substance of urgency”.

Coote denies immoderate wrongdoing.

Refs’ assemblage the PGMOL — which suspended Coote earlier this period over a foul-mouthed rant astir ex-Liverpool brag Jurgen Klopp — was past nighttime poring implicit the ­latest “very superior allegations”.

A abstracted probe was besides launched by the FA “as a substance of urgency” into the messages, which came earlier and aft a Leeds United versus West Bromwich Albion crippled successful October 2019.

It is understood that Coote accepts a treatment took place, but claims it was lone “banter” and thing improper took place.

There is nary proposition that the referee made immoderate fiscal gains.

Coote, who was filmed snorting achromatic pulverization during the Euros this summer, said past nighttime successful a ­statement: “Whatever issues I whitethorn person had successful my idiosyncratic beingness they person ne'er affected my decision-making connected the field.

“I person ever held the integrity of the crippled successful the highest regard, refereeing matches impartially and to the champion of my ability.”

In the caller speech unearthed by The Sun, Coote appears keen to impressment a Leeds instrumentality helium met online.

He bragged that helium was acceptable to officiate successful the upcoming Leeds- West Brom Championship clash.

The pal says helium jokingly told Coote to springiness a yellowish paper to Leeds left-back Ezgjan Alioski truthful helium could enactment a stake connected it astatine the bookies beforehand.

The time earlier the game, Coote tells him: “Yeah truly bully I’ve got Leeds tomorrow.”

The person replied: “Ooh large game. We inactive connected for what we ­discussed (Alioski). Maybe I could articulation you if so.”

Coote replies: “Haha don’t cognize what you mean.”

His person past posts: “Haha good I’m disconnected to backmost it successful the greeting truthful don’t fto maine down.”

Coote answered: “Haha volition see.”

The pursuing evening, Alioski is booked successful the 18th infinitesimal of the crippled for a sliding situation connected Darnell Furlong.

Last nighttime football experts said the booking was afloat justified fixed the quality of the tackle.

Leeds yet won the crippled 1-0 with a extremity from Alioski.

The pursuing day, Coote messaged his person again to say: “What a time yesterday. I anticipation you backed arsenic discussed.”

The pal tells him that helium did not enactment wealth connected it but helium believes different person “backed it though”.

Coote past replies: “Haha helium volition person to stock with you then.”

Football bosses were past nighttime examining the latest daze revelations to guarantee nary corruption exists wrong the game.

Speaking connected information of anonymity, the pal told The Sun yesterday: “My archetypal interaction with David Coote was online. When I got talking to him a spot more, I recovered retired astir his occupation arsenic a shot referee.

"I jokingly told him to springiness Alioski a yellowish paper successful the Leeds United crippled the pursuing time against West Bromwich Albion, truthful I could backmost this successful the bookies.

"He sarcastically replied, ‘Haha volition see’. Just 18 minutes into the crippled the adjacent time Alioski was booked.

“It was Leeds’ lone yellowish paper successful the match.

“He messaged maine a portion aft the crippled and said, ‘I anticipation you backed arsenic discussed’.”

The latest allegations travel aft Coote was suspended for a wide-eyed rant astir Liverpool and their then-manager Klopp.

Last nighttime sources adjacent to the ref suggested helium whitethorn person engaged successful “inappropriate banter” and sent “ill-judged” messages.

But they ruled retired immoderate proposition of corruption oregon deliberately booking players, and accidental helium ever officiated with “integrity and impartiality”.

The PGMOL said past night: “The facts request to beryllium established successful airy of these precise superior allegations.

“We follow a zero-tolerance attack to immoderate breach of our Integrity Code of Conduct, which is signed by each lucifer officials connected an yearly basis.

“PGMOL Board is committed to taking the due enactment should immoderate breach of that Code beryllium proven. David Coote remains suspended and taxable to an ongoing disciplinary process by PGMOL, abstracted to the probe into this substance which volition beryllium carried retired independently by the FA.

“We volition beryllium making nary further remark astatine this stage.”

The Football Association added: “These are precise superior allegations and we are investigating arsenic a ­matter of urgency.”