Man City urged to ditch footballer embroiled in cash row

Manchester City FC has been urged to part ways with footballer Natasha Harding, who is facing allegations she took thousands of pounds from teammates, parents and businesses that she did not pay back.

The former Wales international, who now uses her married name Allen-Wyatt, often appears as a pundit and commentator for Manchester City on their women's games.

She is facing claims including that she took money for one-to-one coaching with children that she did not deliver.

Ms Allen-Wyatt said she had to cancel "some sessions" due to circumstances outside of her control, and apologised to those affected.

Since the BBC reported the allegations from parents, teammates and businesses who sponsored the Tash Harding Academy, a number of others have been in touch alleging they also lost money.

Reports have been made to a number of police forces in Wales and England, some of which have also been passed on to Action Fraud, the BBC has been told.

Action Fraud said at least one report is "currently being assessed" by the National Fraud Intelligence Bureau.

The BBC understands while Ms Allen-Wyatt is not a direct employee of the club, she has been working for them on a freelance basis until very recently.

She last appeared as a pundit on Manchester City's Matchday Live programme on 8 November alongside ex-England goalkeeper Karen Bardsley, who now manages the Manchester City Women FC Academy.

The club's website also states that she commentated on the Women's Super League (WSL) match between Manchester City and Chelsea on 16 November.

Ms Allen-Wyatt, who won 103 caps for Wales, also played for Manchester City in 2015 before moving to Liverpool, Reading and Aston Villa.

Manchester City FC have been approached for comment.

Steve Lloyd, who chairs a grassroots club that claims to have lost £650 after investing in the Tash Harding Academy earlier this year, said he felt the club had a "moral and ethical duty" to cut ties with Ms Allen-Wyatt.

He praised Manchester City, whose women's team are currently sitting second place in the WSL behind Chelsea, for being a "massive supporter of the girls’ and women’s game".

But he said he felt they needed to speak out.

"To be getting the exposure that Manchester City gives [Ms Allen-Wyatt], I think it’s a moral and ethical duty for them to stop her freelance employment," he said.

He added he felt they should, "speak out in support of the people who have been making these allegations, rather than brushing it under the carpet".

Dreigiau Dâr FC in Aberdare is run by volunteers and aims to provide free coaching for children from all backgrounds.

They said they paid £650 to Ms Allen-Wyatt in return for 20% of her academy's profits and 12 coaching sessions with the club.

Only two sessions were held and the club received no profit from the academy.

Steve and another parent also paid for blocks of one-to-one coaching sessions for their children, that were also only partially fulfilled. They said they had asked for refunds but had not received any money back.

Steve's 10-year-old daughter Eliza said she had hoped to play for Wales one day but had been left feeling "sad" when the sessions failed to materialise.

Speaking on Radio Wales Breakfast on Thursday, Steve said: "As we all know now, there is a hell of a lot more parents, companies and other individuals who are out there who have suffered the same heartache as well.

“Ideally in the grand scheme of things it would be fantastic if everyone was to get their hard-earned money back, but it’s going to be a long and difficult process."

Ms Allen-Wyatt did not respond to the allegations made by her former teammates or by businesses.

She said the cancellations were due to circumstances including "my car being written off and the second car breaking down" and that refunds had been paid to some parents and agreed with others.

She said she set up the academy to provide low-cost, "detailed technical coaching" to give children "the opportunities that I never had".

She said she was still operating it and "delivering local sessions".