Chelsea v Leeds United - Betting firm attempt Spygate prank four months after Victor Orta did it at Derby County

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BETTING firm Paddy Power attempted to pull off a Spygate prank during Leeds United's Saturday night clash at Chelsea that Victor Orta had already mastered four months earlier.

In scenes reminiscent of director of football Orta's stunt at Pride Park back in July, Paddy Power sent a 'secret agent' into the Stamford Bridge West Stand dressed up in spy clothes with a green jacket, green hat and a green pair of binoculars.

However, as Patrick Bamford gave United a fourth-minute lead, the stunt went unnoticed during Sky Sports' coverage of the game as an entertaining first half instead took centre stage.

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Both Whites head coach Bielsa and Blues boss Frank Lampard said at their pre-match press conferences that the whole episode was now firmly in the past - with United director of football Orta himself having already pulled off the gag four months earlier.

SPYGATE STUNT: Organised by Paddy Power at Stamford Bridge.SPYGATE STUNT: Organised by Paddy Power at Stamford Bridge.
SPYGATE STUNT: Organised by Paddy Power at Stamford Bridge.

Six months after a member of Bielsa's staff had been caught spying on one of former Rams boss Lampard's Derby County training sessions, Orta celebrated United's promotion as Championship champions in the Pride Park clash against Derby in July dancing with binoculars outside the directors' box.

A Paddy Power spokesperson said: "Spygate has been rumbling on for almost two years, and we’ve been waiting almost as long as the Leeds fans have for Bielsa to meet Lampard once again.

“It wouldn’t be right to have this managerial match-up without someone spying on it – and our man on the ground has already confirmed that, after rumours of an abduction, he’s spotted Kepa Arrizabalaga on the Chelsea bench, unharmed."

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Asked at his pre-match press conference if the Spygate saga was something he could forgive and forget, Lampard said: “It’s in the past.

“I’m certainly not going to dwell on it going into this game, I would rather dwell on the respect that I have for him as a coach. It was a great news story, it had a lot to it and it’s gone."

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Thank you Laura Collins

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