City deny Mafia link

Fiorentina coach Roberto Mancini

Hull City Chairman Paul Duffen reacted angrily to press reports linking the East Yorkshire club to Italian organised crime syndicates.

"Rumours suggesting that after a so called "offer I couldn't refuse" we deliberately threw the game against Liverpool last weekend are completely unfounded," said the Tigers' boss.

"The idea that we would lose by such a large margin in order to lull them into a false sense of security prior to their Champion's League fixture this week are frankly laughable" he told Spraying the Rays today.

The Merseyside club humilated Hull in an uncompromising 6-1 defeat on Saturday, but disappointingly capitulated 2-0 to the Italian side Fiorentina at the Artemio Franchi stadium on the following Tuesday.

Other football news: Bookmakers have today stopped taking bets on the likely move of Serie A striker Stefan Jovetic and central defender Dario Dainelli to English Premier league Hull City from Fiorentina when the January transfer window opens.

Next Week: That controversial ending to the final episode of the Sopranos: Spraying the Rays exclusively reveals what really ha