The chairman of Croydon Athletic is thought to have taken his own life near his home in Wallington.

David Le Cluse, 44, was found in a garage on Parkgate Road at 10.40am on Saturday with gunshot wounds to his head.

He was said to be extremely upset by the money laundering allegations directed at the Club's owner Mazhar Majeed, who he counted as a personal friend.

The Ryman Premier League club was thrown into chaos in August after it became mixed up in the Pakistani cricket betting scandal, with owner Mazhar Majeed alleged to have used the club to launder dirty money from illicit gambling deals.

A statement on the club's website reads: "Croydon Athletic are deeply shocked and saddened by the sudden tragic death of their chairman, David Le Cluse, on Saturday October 2.

"Our thoughts and prayers are with David's wife and children, and we would ask everyone to respect their privacy at this devastating time for them."

Croydon Athletic's former manager Tim O'Shea told The Times: "He was very upset at the allegations and the club getting involved.

"It probably hit him harder than most because of his personal friendship with Majeed.

"He wanted nothing more than for the club to succeed and he was probably upset and affected by it more than anybody else."

The Metropolitan police said: "A 44-year-old man suffered what is believed to have been a gunshot wound to the head. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

"The circumstances of his death are being treated as unexplained. Inquiries are ongoing."

A post mortem will be carried out.

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