The father and uncle of Manchester United and England striker Wayne Rooney were among nine men arrested Thursday as part of an inquiry into an alleged betting scam. Merseyside Police said all nine men had been bailed until January, with one of them was confirmed by the Scottish Football Association as being 26-year-old Motherwell midfielder Steven Jennings, who comes from Liverpool and now lives in Glasgow. The charges relate to “suspicious betting activity” surrounding the Scottish Premier League match between Motherwell and Hearts last December. Wayne Rooney senior, 48, was detained at his home in the West Derby area of Liverpool following a joint investigation by Merseyside Police working in cooperation with the Gambling Commission. Rooney's uncle Richie, 54, was also detained. “A 54-year-old from Norris Green, a 22-year-old from Kirkdale, a 48-year-old from West Derby and a 26-year-old from Croxteth have all been bailed pending further enquiries,” Merseyside Police said in a statement. Police said the nine arrests were the “culmination of a joint operation with the Gambling Commission” and all the men had been interviewed for conspiracy to defraud. Jennings, who joined Motherwell in 2009 from Tranmere Rovers, Liverpool's third club after Everton and Liverpool, was sent off in the 83rd minute of the match against Hearts, who won the game 2-1. Rooney, on international duty with England in Montenegro ahead of Friday's Euro 2012 qualifier, was relaxed following his father's arrest according to England manager Fabio Capello.
