Rush: I didn't sign hundreds of football tops

Feb 28 2008 Western Mail

FOOTBALL legend Ian Rush was treated to a holiday in Dubai and a “plush stay” in a hotel arranged by a man accused of making thousands of pounds by selling forged signatures of sports stars, a court heard yesterday.

Faisal Madani, 42, organised the trip for the former Welsh international and his wife as part of a “promotion” for a hotel, but the court heard the star did not do any promotional work during his stay.

Mr Rush, 46, said he had also been treated to two trips to a casino in London and in Stockport, Greater Manchester, and an all-expenses-paid stay in a Hilton hotel for a TV appearance.

The former striker, who was capped 67 times for Wales, told the court he had signed shirts and photographs in the presence of Madani during two visits to appear on the TV programme, which auctioned signed sporting memorabilia.

But the former Liverpool player told the court that he had not signed hundreds of tops in the presence of Madani.

St Asaph-born Mr Rush also said his genuine signature was not on a 1977 Liverpool European Cup Winners’ shirt, which had been framed, and a photograph of him with Michael Owen taken between 2003 and 2004 during his time as coach at Liverpool.

The items had been on sale at Sporting Icons, a sporting memorabilia store based in Chester, the city’s Crown Court has heard.

Welshman and Sporting Icons owner Graeme Walker, 45, and former business partner Madani are accused of selling and offering a variety of sporting memorabilia items, including shirts and photographs, with faked autographs of stars.

During cross-examination of Mr Rush, Peter Davies, defending Madani, said, “Can I suggest to you that you had a relationship with Mr Madani over 12 to 18 months where you were paid money for the provision of your signature on a number of occasions. Is that right?”

Mr Rush replied, “Yes.”

Asking about the holiday in Dubai, Mr Davies said, “It was a very nice, very plush stay. Is that correct?”

Mr Rush answered, “Yes.”

Mr Davies asked, “Any reason why he treated you?”

Mr Rush said, “To go to the hotel to promote the place.”

But Mr Rush admitted he did not do any promotion work during his holiday in Dubai.

Madani faces 20 charges under the Trade Descriptions Act and the Trade Marks Act and Walker faces 53 similar offences, which also include those under the Theft Act and fraudulent trading under the Companies Act.

Both Walker, of Mountain View Close, Connah’s Quay, and Madani, of Stockport, deny the charges.

The court also heard statements from England Rugby World Cup hero Jonny Wilkinson about merchandise seized by trading standards officers from the Sporting Icons store.

In one, read to the court by Andrew Thomas QC, prosecuting, Mr Wilkinson said he would never sign a shirt in the way that it was presented.

In the statement he said he was shown a “very poor replica” England World Cup shirt.

He said, “The signature bore a very vague resemblance to my signature but I can state categorically that I did not sign the shirt.”

The trial continues.