Mick McCarthy says the spot-fixing scandal raises questions regarding the integrity of individuals but not the game itself.

Former Blues loanee DJ Campbell was amongst a number of players arrested and bailed earlier in the week with his booking against Town for Blackburn last week reportedly amongst the incidents under investigation. The 32-year-old has been given time off by Rovers.

“I think it’s certain players’ integrity, not the game,” McCarthy said. “Football can get a really bad rap at times, but the cricketers had it, I don’t know if other sports have had it.

“I don’t think it’s the integrity of my sport that’s getting questioned all the time, I think it’s individuals who are making the most out of an industry which actually leaves itself to abuse by the amount of things that they allow people to bet on.”

Aside from wagering £10 when he’s playing golf with friends the Town boss says he’s not a betting man.

“I’m not a gambler, I don’t bet on horses or dogs or games of football, I can’t with football, I never have, I’m just not that way inclined,” he said.

“I’ve always felt that it’s hard enough to earn, don’t be giving it away to somebody else. But they leave it open to abuse when they say you can bet on whether players get booked or corners or freekicks or numbers on shirts or throw-ins or whatever it might be.

“I think it’s difficult to regulate and it leaves it open to abuse. I don’t condone the abuse of it, but it’s not match fixing, it’s nicking muck and money off the bookies, which I have to say doesn’t break my heart because they all seem wealthy enough.

“It’s wrong and they shouldn’t be doing it and what is more galling for us as managers and coaches is that players will be thinking about that when they’re on the pitch, not thinking about running wide, crossing or heading it in the net, rather ‘When can I get booked?’.

“And it would also compromise the team if you go and get yourself booked and then in the next minute you don’t go far enough back in the wall and you’re not trying to get booked and it hits you and you get sent off and you lose.

"That’s when it starts compromising matches and results. But it just seems bonkers to me anyway.”

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