England 2018 is pinning its hopes on the Fifa vice-president, Jack Warner, to deliver the World Cup to these shores in the vote in Zurich this week. But as England's plans hang on his word, Digger can reveal a legal judgment that exposes a string of apparently broken promises to his own federation's international players, a ruling upheld in his nation's highest court this week.
The FA recognised this very early on and took the England team to Port of Spain to commemorate his association's 100th anniversary in 2008. Warner has also enjoyed the company of our prime ministers, with Gordon Brown personally visiting him. David Cameron hopes to sit down for lunch with him this week.
But despite the scramble for his support, there was embarrassment for Warner in the Trinidadian court of appeals a fortnight ago as Digger can reveal that the TTFA was ordered to honour its financial obligations to players who believe they have been left up to £6m short.
Another case is scheduled today, when a decision will be made over whether an interim payment is due to players and whether the TTFA must prepare audited accounts over its World Cup revenues. The TTFA is fighting this claim, too.
When approached by Digger, Warner said: "I have nothing to say about that, it is nothing to do with me. I never appeared in court, I never gave a speech about it; it was [a matter] for the federation. I have nothing to do with that. It doesn't bother me even remotely."
A judgment two years ago by the Sports Disputes Resolution Panel arbitrator, Ian Mill QC, stated it was clear that Warner "had at all material times the authority of the TTFA to commit it to financial transactions – or at any rate [those the players] alleged".
That is also the view of the 2006 World Cup players, whose goalkeeper, Shaka Hislop, has led the fight for Warner's promises to be upheld. "Jack Warner, though not on the TTFA officially, makes every single decision: how much bonus should be paid, who is the right coach," said Hislop.
"He decides. This has all been about Jack Warner. He made the promises. But unfortunately this has taken so many twists and turns. When we won the arbitration ruling we had one twist after another from the TTFA. It was a slap in the face of the players who represented the country so well.
"Not only was it the paltry offer but the fact they were questioning your integrity, saying we were holding the TTFA to ransom and being mercenary. That was simply not our intention. We wanted our just rewards."
The TTFA's appeal against Mill's judgment, which was formally incorporated into Trinidadian case law in July this year, was defeated in the supreme court in Port of Spain a fortnight ago.
Digger can now reveal how in the build-up to the 2006 World Cup, Warner pledged to hand over to the playing squad 50% of all revenues from central Fifa income. There were also deals struck over private-sector sponsorship and profits from warm-up matches, with Warner promising to hand over 30% of the proceeds to the players.
As the players sought proof of how much that would be, Warner also promised to provide a spreadsheet detailing how much the TTFA would receive in relation to the players' World Cup activities. But Mill discovered the mood in the camp had been approaching "mutinous" over the TTFA's failure to deliver that spreadsheet in advance of the World Cup.
Their angry mood understandably softened when Warner then undertook to hand over 50% of all the TTFA's commercial incomes relating to the World Cup. That pledge came after T&T drew their opening World Cup match against Sweden, when he turned up for a meeting at the team hotel.
Although the lateness of his arrival meant only the reserve goalkeeper, Kelvin Jack, was still in the hotel lobby, Warner stated that he was so proud of the team for the Sweden result that he would increase their share of the commercial revenues from 30% to 50%. It was an assertion he later repeated to Hislop, on leaving the hotel.
Digger can reveal that Mill found Warner's assurance was in order to ensure the players "gave of their best" in the ensuing group matches. Mill added: "[Warner] was also in effect buying off a claim by the players for breach of contract as a result of the delayed receipt of the promised spreadsheet."
Mill also found, despite the TTFA's claims to the contrary, that Warner's "promise was and is legally binding on the TTFA", a judgment that has been upheld by successive rulings in Trinidadian courts.
Yet despite his difficulties at home, Warner remains a key figure for England 2018 and a UK government that hopes to deliver a tournament that could be worth £3.2bn to our economy. "He's a very powerful Fifa vice-president," Hislop said. "You have to woo these officials if you want to host this World Cup. It's a necessary evil."