Amdy Faye

Amdy Moustapha Faye (also incorrectly known as Amady Faye, born 12 March 1977 in Dakar, Senegal) is a Senegalese Association football player. He currently plays as a defensive midfielder for Stoke City.

Career

In France

Faye began his career at Ligue 1 club AS Monaco FC, and then had spells with ES Frejus and AJ Auxerre. He played for Senegal national football team at the 2002 FIFA World Cup, before transferring to Portsmouth F.C. for £1.5 million in August 2003.

In Britain

He made his debut for Portsmouth in a 2–1 home win over Aston Villa F.C.. However, a knee injury picked up at the end of October threatened to rule him out for five months of the 2003-04 in English football season. He returned in December, but after just three games suffered a relapse and was out until the end of January. Due to the injury, Faye was not selected by Senegal for the 2004 African Nations Cup but he made 31 appearances for Pompey in his debut campaign. Since recovering from injury he has reclaimed his place as a regular in the Senegalese national team.

Faye was transferred to Newcastle United F.C. in January 2005. His role in this transfer later attracted controversy over allegations of corruption (see below). On 8 August 2006, after one-and-a-half seasons in the Northeast, he completed a move to Charlton Athletic F.C.. He scored his first goal since he moved to English football in 2003, against ironically, his former club Portsmouth on 20 January 2007. His debut season with Charlton, however, was unsuccessful as the club was relegated at the end of the season.

Faye joined Scottish side Rangers F.C. on a season-long loan in August 2007 but failed to break into the side, making only six appearances. In January 2008 he trained with Premier League side Blackburn Rovers F.C. but was prevented from making a move to the club because of FIFA rules which bar players from playing for three teams in one season. He returned to Charlton in the summer of 2008 and on 15th August 2008, signed for Stoke City F.C..

Corruption allegations

Faye was arrested by City of London Police on 28 November 2007 along with Harry Redknapp, Milan Mandaric, Peter Storrie and Willie McKay over allegations of corruption.

His transfer from Portsmouth to Newcastle United in January 2005 was one of those about which the 2006 allegations of corruption in English football Stevens report report in June 2007 expressed concerns:

“There remains inconsistencies in evidence provided by Graeme Souness - a former manager of the club - and Kenneth Shepherd - apparently acting in an undefined role but not as a club official - as to their respective roles in transfer negotiations.”

“The inquiry is still awaiting clarification from agent Willie McKay”.

However, the Stevens enquiry later issued two clarifications. It said of Souness: "We wish to make it clear that inconsistencies did not exist within the evidence given by Graeme Souness to Quest concerning his role in transfers covered by the Inquiry during his time as manager of Newcastle United FC and neither the Premier League nor do Quest have any concerns in this regard". Then, on 7 November 2007, Quest issued the following statement about McKay: "Further to the key findings from the final Quest report published on 15 June 2007 by the Premier League, Quest would like to emphasise that, in that report, it was clear that no evidence of irregular payments was found in the transfers in the inquiry period which involved the agent Willie McKay. Quest would also like to thank Mr McKay for his cooperation with the inquiry."