The Peter Varney diaries: Chelsea tried to lowball Charlton Athletic in Scott Parker transfer talks and breaking the 1999 floodlight match-fixing gang

Former Addicks chief executive reveals all on midfielder's big-money move to Stamford Bridge and how gang planned to force abandonment of Liverpool game at The Valley

Every month South London Sport: Charlton Athletic Edition is catching up with Peter Varney, the club’s former chief executive and a boyhood fan of the club, to get his tales and inside info from when he was in a key position of responsibility in SE7.

In this second instalment, Varney provides insight into the negotiations leading up to Scott Parker’s sale to Chelsea in January 2004.

And he also recalls when an Asian gang attempted to sabotage The Valley floodlights as part of a betting scam which would have forced the postponement of Charlton’s Premier League match against Liverpool in February 1999.

Scott Parker is tackled by Leeds United midfielder David Batty

Picture: Keith Gillard

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PARKER FELT SALE PROMISE HAD BEEN BROKEN - THE WAY HIS EXIT HAPPENED KILLED HOPES HE WOULD BOSS US ONE DAY

When Charlton Athletic sold Scott Parker to Chelsea in the January 2004 transfer window it was a painful outcome in more ways than one. Firstly, the Addicks parted company with a homegrown product, 23 at the time, who was a driving force of their midfield. Secondly, Parker’s departure also coincided with a drop off in form that saw Alan Curbishley’s side finish seventh, missing out on European football after they had climbed as high as fourth in the standings.

Charlton had just won 1-0 at Tottenham at the end of December and Scott said after the game: "‘You’ve got to let me go.”

“Let you go where?”

You know the way it works - you can see it with Alexander Isak at Newcastle - that effectively players get tapped up to go to another club. That started the ball rolling, really.