The agent at the centre of football corruption allegations has a lifelong ban from Gillingham’s Priestfield Stadium.

Maidstone-based football agent Mark Curtis, who represents disgraced Sam Allardyce, was at the meeting which led to the England manager’s downfall, following a Daily Telegraph
undercover investigation.

Allardyce and the FA agreed to a mutual separation this week’s after he was filmed, along with Curtis, discussing third-party ownership of players, something that is outlawed by the Football Association and FIFA.

During conversations, Curtis suggested Allardyce be paid £150,000 to act as a keynote speaker for proposed trips to the Far East, adding an extra £50,000 to an initial figure that was mentioned. Allardyce was already being paid £3m a year as England manager.

The meetings with undercover reporters this week led to Allardyce losing his job as England manager, just 67 days after being appointed.

But before Curtis made it into the big time, he was acting as agent for several Gillingham players, including former star man Matt Jarvis.

Back in November 2006, Gills chairman Paul Scally spoke of his frustration over negotiations with Curtis, while trying to agree a new deal for Jarvis, who was out of contract in the summer.

Writing in his programme notes back then, Mr Scally said: “We made him the biggest ever contract offer in the history of the club for a player of his age and standing.

“What’s disappointing is that his agent has already rejected this offer. The problem we face is that his agent is Mark Curtis, who knows he will not make money if he stays with us.”

Stoke and Plymouth had both offered to buy the player at the time for a fee of around £250,000.

Later that season Nottingham Forest put in a £650,000 offer for the player but, according to Mr Scally, Curtis blocked the move. Charlton were also understood to be interested.

Jarvis eventually signed for Wolves in the summer of 2007 for an undisclosed fee, avoiding the need to take it to a tribunal.

But Mr Scally’s frustrations over the Jarvis saga led to him banning Curtis from the ground and since then the Gills chairman has refused to deal with the agent or any of his players.

It was during a transfer for Gills keeper Steve Banks in 1995 that Curtis first met Allardyce, who was then the manager at Blackpool.

Allardyce described Curtis as “one of the good ones,” in his autobiography, Big Sam.