Melbourne's Brebner In Shock At Vicious Attack On Financial Associate
The Age
Saturday October 28, 2006
A MAN who was helping Melbourne Victory's Scottish midfielder Grant Brebner, a recovering gambling addict, to put his financial affairs in order has been beaten up by thugs in a violent street attack in Scotland.
But Brebner yesterday denied allegations in a Scottish tabloid, the Daily Record, that the attack on Dundee-based financial adviser Gavin McLeish, who was helping sort out his debts, was connected to him.Brebner, who played at Manchester United, Hibernian and Dundee United before joining Melbourne in June, expressed his "utter disbelief" at the allegation that he was linked to the attack on the accountant."I had a call from a reporter in Scotland asking me if Gavin McLeish was my accountant. He told me McLeish had been assaulted near his home and to my utter disbelief, the reporter said he believed it may have been because he was handling my financial matters," Brebner said."To suggest that this incident is in some way linked to me is ludicrous."According to the Daily Record, McLeish was bashed by three men, who the paper reported told him that he had "better get Brebner's debts in order" before leaving McLeish with a broken arm, cuts, bruises and in shock.The paper said Brebner had run up gambling debts of #100,000 ($A247,000), and had left Scotland for Australia still owing "a substantial sum".The tabloid quoted Brebner: "Anyone I do owe money to I speak to and they are fine. There is no nastiness whatsoever. It's a horrendous situation. I feel for Gavin but for me to be brought into it as well is very concerning. What's the logic in attacking this man? What benefit would that do to anybody?"Brebner acknowledged his gambling problems since his arrival in Australia but has been reluctant to talk of them.It has not stopped him becoming Victory's most influential off-season recruit. The partnership he has forged with Victory captain Kevin Muscat is widely regarded as the key factor in Melbourne's dramatic turnaround from last season's easybeats to this year's minor premier elect.Victory's chief executive Geoff Miles said: "Grant has been honest and upfront with us since joining the club. He has been a leader on and off the field and we can see that he is genuinely shocked about the incident and any link of it to him."
© 2006 The Age