Ex-Wales global Natasha Harding in academy money claims

One among Wales’ best footballers has been accused by way of teammates, folks and sponsors of taking 1000’s of kilos that she has now not returned.

Natasha Harding, who now makes use of her married identify Allen-Wyatt, is dealing with claims she took cash for one-to-one training with kids that she didn’t ship.

Some folks and companies advised the BBC that the previous Studying FC captain warned them she would take motion towards them in the event that they complained on social media. Many have now contacted police and Motion Fraud.

Ms Allen-Wyatt admitted she needed to cancel “some periods” because of cases outdoor of her keep watch over, and apologised to these affected.

Ms Allen-Wyatt, who was once noticed as a trailblazer for the ladies’s recreation, retired from soccer in September 2023 after successful 103 caps for Wales, becoming a member of an elite workforce of simply 9 Welsh footballers to play greater than 100 instances for his or her nation.

She was once abruptly not noted of the Wales girls’s squad in overdue 2022, which the BBC understands was once because of a breakdown in her dating together with her teammates, because of allegations some had lent her cash that she had now not paid again.

Former teammates have now published to the BBC that a few of Ms Allen-Wyatt’s movements “additionally impacted ourselves, our households, and buddies”.

In a remark, launched by way of the Soccer Affiliation of Wales (FAW) on behalf of avid gamers, personnel and the FAW, they stated Ms Allen-Wyatt’s alleged movements had been “extraordinarily disappointing” and “don’t constitute us as a squad or our values”.

The FAW requested households to file any “doable criminality to police within the first example”, but additionally inspired them to get in contact for reinforce.

In addition they showed that they had spoken to police and that avid gamers had been being supported.

Ms Allen-Wyatt, who additionally performed for Liverpool and Aston Villa and now commentates for any other one in every of her former golf equipment, Manchester Town, introduced the Tash Harding Academy in August 2023.

She incessantly posted on-line about its good fortune, claiming she had run 2,000 training periods for kids throughout south, mid and north Wales, Cheltenham and Bristol.

Whilst it’s transparent the academy does run periods with some children, BBC Wales has spoken to oldsters and companies who say they paid cash for products and services, or for returns on investments, that didn’t materialise.

BBC Wales has analysed loads of WhatsApp messages, banking transactions, invoices and contracts between April 2023 and November 2024 that again up what they have got stated.

The allegations come with:

• A “soccer mad” brother and sister who used their Christmas cash to pay in opposition to periods that didn’t happen

• Youngsters as younger as seven left feeling rejected and “now not just right sufficient” when periods didn’t occur

• Volunteers at a grassroots soccer staff had been “heartbroken” at telling 40-plus kids they wouldn’t get the training from a former Wales global that they had anticipated

• The BBC additionally understands £3,770 raised by way of Ms Allen-Wyatt from a charity skydive in 2020, for reasons on the subject of the hearts of fellow Wales teammates, was once now not handed on to 2 charities. The 3rd stated it was once not able to test on account of how a lot time had handed

Ms Allen-Wyatt is noticed as an influential determine in Welsh girls’s soccer and has incessantly spoken about her want to encourage more youthful avid gamers.

Some folks stated they felt flattered that she noticed doable of their kids.

Lucy and Matt Roberts paid £300 for 10 periods for his or her seven-year-old daughter Willow, who “lives and breathes” soccer however from time to time lacked self belief.

The oldsters-of-three, who are living in Hengoed, Caerphilly, stated Ms Allen-Wyatt advised them a GPS tracker would measure Willow’s metrics, which she would then evaluate towards kids at the Aston Villa Academy database.

Aston Villa were approached for remark.

Willow’s folks stated she had one loose “taster” consultation after which one paid consultation. They stated that they had “by no means had one since”.

Ms Roberts stated: “It is something to lose this cash, however on the center of this are kids who’ve been promised one thing that hasn’t took place.”

Oldsters advised the BBC they paid between £180 and £975 for blocks of one-to-one training periods and that regularly only one or two had been delivered – together with a loose taster.

Not one of the folks the BBC has spoken to had the entire training periods they paid for.

They stated Ms Allen-Wyatt used a couple of causes for now not doing them, together with automobile crashes, loss of pitch availability, agenda clashes, her rooster celebration and her marriage ceremony.

Many stated their requests for refunds had been met with silence or that deductions had been promised however didn’t occur.

Some folks stated the cancelled periods impacted on their kids’s self belief.

Kelly Tanner from Blackwood, Caerphilly, organized for her nine-year outdated “football-mad” daughter Elen to have a taster consultation, ahead of she then paid £300 for 10 periods.

Ms Tanner stated: “[Ms Allen-Wyatt] gave Elen in reality sure comments and joked, ‘I’m going to be your supervisor if you find yourself a well-known footballer’. Elen was once completely beaming.”

However after six weeks of looking to organize periods, Kelly requested for a reimbursement which was once sooner or later returned.

She stated: “The explanation we needed those periods was once to construct Elen’s  self-worth and it did absolutely the reverse in relation to feeling rejected, or now not just right sufficient, or simply now not necessary sufficient.”

Adrian Thole, from Caerphilly, paid for 12 periods for his 15-year-old daughter Hannah, however handiest 5 had been delivered.

Hannah, who’s now 16, stated the periods had been in reality just right, however that she felt “embarrassed” when her dad needed to chase Ms Allen-Wyatt, believing it was once her fault for now not being “just right sufficient” to coach together with her.

Adrian stated: “Tash talks about how a lot of a privilege it was once to play for Wales. She’s exploited that privilege and disenchanted my daughter, and a whole lot of folks.”

Membership Dreigiau Dâr was once arrange in Aberdare remaining yr to supply soccer for boys and girls elderly seven to 11, regardless of their talent stage or monetary background.

The membership, which is administered by way of volunteers, paid £650 to Ms Allen-Wyatt in go back for 20% of her academy’s earnings and 12 training periods with the membership. She additionally stated she could be their ambassador and presented discounted one-to-one periods for folks.

Best two periods had been held and the membership gained no make the most of the academy.

The membership and two of the oldsters stated that they had requested for refunds however had now not gained any a refund.

Membership secretary Haydn Gleed stated the placement was once “heartbreaking”.

The BBC has additionally spoken to plenty of companies from south Wales who stated they paid loads in sponsorship, in go back for his or her corporate identify at the entrance of shirts, on banners and gear.

Some gained footage of 1 blouse with their trademarks on it, however have stated that they had not anything extra.

James Matthews of air-con industry Sub-zero Refrigeration claimed he paid £10,000 in investments and loans after he was once advised – like different companies the BBC has spoken to – that he could be a silent spouse and take a share of the earnings.

Over a one-year duration, he stated he handiest gained £437 again for his 48% stake.

Mr Matthews stated he now felt “embarrassed” that he depended on Ms Allen-Wyatt because of her standing as a footballer.

“If it was once anyone off the road I’d by no means have paid that cash in,” he stated.

Of their remark to the BBC, the FAW, Wales girls’s avid gamers and personnel stated: “As a squad that represents our nation with delight and glance to encourage the more youthful technology, it’s been extraordinarily disappointing to listen to the allegations.”

They added: “The movements taken by way of the academy topic to the BBC investigation had been certainly not affiliated to the FAW. Alternatively, the FAW would inspire the ones probably affected to succeed in out for reinforce but additionally advise that any doable criminality will have to be reported to the police within the first example.”

Gwent Police stated it had gained an allegation of fraud, which it forwarded to Motion Fraud.

Motion Fraud has been contacted for remark.

Ms Allen-Wyatt didn’t reply to the allegations made by way of her former teammates or by way of companies, however admitted she did must cancel “some periods” she had organised for kids.

She stated the cancellations had been because of “cases past my keep watch over”, together with, “my automobile being written off and the second one automobile breaking down” and that deductions were paid to a couple folks and agreed with others.

She stated she arrange the academy to supply low cost, “detailed technical training” to present kids “the alternatives that I by no means had”.

She stated she was once nonetheless working it and “handing over native periods”.