Nielsen in betting scandal

[Huckerbys right foot]

Former Norwich City striker David Nielsen is to undergo counselling after being at the centre of a spectacular betting scandal in Denmark.

The 28-year-old Dane featured in City's first three games of the season last August before announcing that he wanted to move back to his native country after his wife, Tenna, was offered an exceptional job opportunity in the Scandinavian computer industry.

The one-time Wimbledon forward – who completed a £200,000 switch to the Canaries in January, 2002, following a successful loan spell – was granted his transfer wish by manager Nigel Worthington and left to resume his Danish first division career with AaB Aalborg.

Last week, however, Nielsen's name was splashed across the front pages of Denmark's national newspapers after his new club admitted at a press conference that their star striker and Aalborg's long-serving goalkeeper Jimmy Nielsen had accumulated debts of 1.6 million Danish krona (£160,000) with a local betting shop.

So big was the pair's level of credit with the Aalborg bookies, the shop was forced to close for three weeks until the outstanding debts were cleared.

It was claimed the two players' interest in betting on football doubles – predicting the full-time scores of two games – were behind the shop's closure, and the board of directors at Aalborg decided to name and shame the pair, as well as setting up counselling sessions on gambling problems.

Aalborg's director of sport, Lynge Jacobsen, told the Ekstra Bladet – Denmark's leading tabloid newspaper – that he hoped the sessions with the club psychologist would put an end to the saga.

"It was sensible of them to come to us and explain their problem," said Jacobsen. "They have paid off their debts themselves and so we are going to stand by them, because we are a socially responsible organisation.

"I would like to stress that they have not done anything illegal.

"In theory, it is their own business what they do with their money. It is only when it affects their work that we have to intervene."

David Nielsen is Aalborg's second top scorer this season with six goals from his 22 appearances and with the club fifth in the table, Jacobsen is more than happy with the pair's efforts on the pitch.

"Both of them have performed well and I do not believe that their playing has been detrimentally affected," said Jacobsen.

"I would also like to add, however, that I have praised them both for coming clean."

The fact that the two Nielsens were betting on football matches sparked widespread alarm in the Danish media, but both vehemently denied they had ever bet on the outcome of Aalborg's own games.

The club have now sent a letter to all the Aalborg players stating that they will not tolerate players gambling, said a local journalist. And if any one of them is discovered betting on Aalborg's own matches they will take strong disciplinary action against them.

With David Nielsen reported to be on a salary of 20,000 Danish kronas (£2000) a week, the pair's combined debt is equivalent to about 80 weeks wages for the former Canary star.

At the time of his move back to Denmark, Nielsen said he wanted to return to his homeland for family reasons. A job offer for wife Tenna was too good to turn down.

"I've had a great time here and it was a very difficult decision to make," said Nielsen. "But I have to look after my family and we've got a wonderful opportunity to go back to Denmark. It's something that came up pretty quickly and I just had to make sure everything was as promised back home before I made the decision."

City chief executive Neil Doncaster said: "We were unaware of any of these sort of issues in David's private life in the time that he was with us and when he informed Nigel last August that he would like a move back to Denmark in order for his wife to take up a well-paid job in computers, we took that at face value."

David Nielsen is reported to have denied ever being addicted to gambling and said he had not bet again since the whole affair became public.

[norwich_fi]

poor guy he was great when he was at city. hope it all goes well for him.