FOOTBALL bosses last night shrugged off allegations of phone tapping, sabotage and secret filming during Freddy Shepherd and Douglas Hall's reign at Newcastle United.

They dismissed the claims, made in a Sunday newspaper, as "history" that was of no relevance to the present-day Premiership club.

Fans too were unmoved by the revelations, with one going online to say on an unofficial Magpie website: "If it is true, I don't think it will anger any of us."

The allegations in yesterday's News of the World concerned security consultant Brian Tough "confessing" to his activities at the club.

He claimed he was ordered to tap phones of unhappy managers and players including those of then manager Kevin Keegan, Newcastle president Sir John Hall's butler and former Government advisor Alistair Balls, then a development corporation boss working on funding for Sunderland's Stadium of Light.

Mr Tough also claimed that he took secret film of Alan Shearer to be used against him if he tried to leave the club.

He is also alleged to have bugged rival club Sunderland to find out secret plans for their new stadium and sabotaged a supporters' campaign in 1991.

He said that he prevented a protest banner being flown over the ground by giving a £2,000 "bung" to ensure the aircraft would be declared unfit to fly.

The claims, some dating back to 1995, were said to have taken place when the now-ousted Freddy Shepherd was chairman and Douglas Hall was vice-chairman.

Mr Shepherd is quoted in The News of the World as saying that he only found out about the bugging in 2004, after it had happened.

He said: "He (Tough) didn't work for me. I had nothing to do with bugging anybody."

Yesterday the club would not be drawn on the allegations made by 52-year-old Mr Tough.

A spokesman for the club would only say: "This story relates to a previous era and has no relevance how the club is run under the new regime."

Fanzine editor Steve Wraith also dismissed the importance of the allegations.

He said: "To be honest, the days of the Shepherds and the Halls have long gone as far as the supporters are concerned. This particular horse has bolted and this is of no relevance to most fans.

"As far as the fans are concerned, they are hoping the club has been saved from disaster and we are looking to brighter times ahead.

"We are concerned with what happens on the pitch."

Another fan, writing on the Newcastle Utd Mad website, said the allegations summed up the "pathetic paranoia" of the old regime at the club.