No "reasonable grounds" exist for believing Premier League side Newcastle United engaged in a suspected tax fraud, two High Court judges have been told. Club officials are "challenging the seizure of documents by tax officials investigating the financial affairs of several football clubs." St. James' Park and West Ham United's London Stadium were raided in April by U.K. tax authority HMRC. Richard Lissack QC said that the warrants were "excessively wide" (PA, 7/27).
Around 40 players and staff made redundant as a result of the collapse of rugby side Bradford Bulls "have been given the go-ahead to take their case for financial redress to a full employment tribunal." A judge at a preliminary hearing in Leeds on Wednesday dismissed a plea by the Rugby Football League, one of four respondents, "to have most of the cases thrown out," and instead ordered a seven-day hearing to be held at Leeds Employment Tribunal in January (SKY SPORTS, 7/27).
League of Ireland Premier Division side Bray Wanderers issued a "remarkable" statement saying that the club is financially secure and it has "a vision for the future unrivalled by any other football club in Ireland" as it aims to "purchase new grounds and rezone the Carlisle Grounds." In the statement, Chair Gerry Mulvey said that "a revolution of football is going to start" and Bray "will be the leaders not just for Wicklow but for Ireland in this revolt" (RTÉ, 7/27).
League Championship side Queens Park Rangers will "raise money for the victims of the Grenfell Tower" fire by hosting a match at Loftus Road. The club confirmed its plans to hold a game on Sept. 2. The match "will see two teams consisting of footballers, former players and celebrities go head-to-head in a 90-minute game just one mile away from where the charred remains of the north Kensington tower block remain" (London EVENING STANDARD, 7/27).