By . Liz Hull . Last updated at 9:11 AM on 7th October 2011 . Wayne Rooney's father was arrested yesterday by police investigating a football betting scam. The officers, who swooped at dawn on . the £450,000 home of Wayne Snr, also arrested the England striker's . uncle, Richie. They are probing a rash of suspicious bets placed on a . sending-off. The investigation centres on the red card given to Motherwell's Steve Jennings in a match against Hearts last December. Coleen, Wayne and Wayne Rooney Snr . Looking relaxed: England's Wayne Rooney during a training session at the City Stadium in Podgorica, Montenegro, today . The former Tranmere Rovers player, who hails from Kirkby, near Liverpool, was arrested at his home in Scotland. The investigation comes at a bad time . for Rooney, who has been working to clean up his image following . damaging revelations about his private life. It emerged that the £180,000-a-week Manchester United star had slept with prostitutes while his wife, Coleen, was pregnant. He is currently in Montenegro with . the England team for today's Euro 2012 qualifier. Team manager Fabio . Capello insisted Rooney had not been upset by his father's arrest. 'I found him relaxed and calm,' Capello said. 'There is no problem for the game, he will play against . Montenegro. He told me there are no problems.' On duty: Wayne Rooney (centre) trained today with Phil Jones and Danny Welbeck (left) while his father was questioned . Steve Jennings was arrested after allegedly getting himself sent off deliberately during a match . But Rooney's estranged cousin Stephen, 27, a homosexual and cross dresser, said the arrests were 'embarrassing'. 'It's hysterical, but I'm quite . surprised it's just the two,' he said. 'And they have the cheek to tell . me that putting a dress on is embarrassing for the family.' A spokesman for Merseyside Police . confirmed nine men, aged between 22 and 68, had been arrested in . Liverpool and Glasgow on suspicion of conspiracy to defraud as part of a . joint operation with the Gambling Commission into suspicious betting. Wayne Rooney Snr, footballer Wayne's father, is one of the nine people being questioned over an alleged betting scam . There was no sign yesterday of . unemployed Wayne Snr, a 48-year-old former boxer, at the home he shares . with Rooney's mother, Jeanette, in West Derby, Liverpool. Anthony Barnfather, the lawyer . representing him, said: 'Mr Rooney vigorously denies all of these . allegations. We are co-operating fully with the investigation. No . further comment will be made at this time.' Neighbours at 54-year-old Richie . Rooney's home, in Croxteth, Liverpool, confirmed a police car had been . parked outside the modest semi in the early hours. He refused to comment . when he returned home on bail yesterday afternoon. Members of the Press soon arrived outside the house of Wayne Rooney snr this afternoon . He spent 20 minutes inside before . being driven off in a Ford Focus by his daughter, Claire. One visitor, . who described himself as a member of the family, said: 'He doesn't know . anything about all this.' England captain John Terry, who has . experienced media attention on his own family, also backed Rooney. 'Wayne is focused on the game tomorrow,' Terry said. 'We all realise the importance of . that. It's important for him to go out there and play his football, . which he loves doing. He'll always be fully focused on the pitch.' Police were alerted after the . Association of British Bookmarkers raised concerns about a number of . irregular bets, ranging from £200 to £500, on Jennings being red-carded. Some of the activity is understood to have taken place via a new account opened in Liverpool – Rooney's home town. One bet of £500, placed at odds of 10/1, netted £5,000. Jennings had already been booked by referee Stevie O'Reilly when he was shown a straight red card seven minutes from time. The 26-year-old reportedly asked the referee when he was going to 'stop cheating' Motherwell. Speaking in the wake of the incident, . Jennings said: 'I want to make it clear I had no involvement whatsoever . in any betting scam. 'I want to clear my name as quickly as possible.' It is understood Jennings became friends with the Rooney family after striking up a friendship with Richie's son, Thomas, 26. By last night all nine men had been released on bail.
Seizures relate to Motherwell/Hearts clash last year .
Motherwell midfielder held after allegedly getting himself sent off .
Suspected pattern of 'irregular betting' on red card being given .
England star's father 'vigorously denies' involvement .
Star in training today ahead of Montenegro match .
By . Liz Hull . Last updated at 9:11 AM on 7th October 2011 . Wayne Rooney's father was arrested yesterday by police investigating a football betting scam. The officers, who swooped at dawn on . the £450,000 home of Wayne Snr, also arrested the England striker's . uncle, Richie. They are probing a rash of suspicious bets placed on a . sending-off. The investigation centres on the red card given to Motherwell's Steve Jennings in a match against Hearts last December. Coleen, Wayne and Wayne Rooney Snr . Looking relaxed: England's Wayne Rooney during a training session at the City Stadium in Podgorica, Montenegro, today . The former Tranmere Rovers player, who hails from Kirkby, near Liverpool, was arrested at his home in Scotland. The investigation comes at a bad time . for Rooney, who has been working to clean up his image following . damaging revelations about his private life. It emerged that the £180,000-a-week Manchester United star had slept with prostitutes while his wife, Coleen, was pregnant. He is currently in Montenegro with . the England team for today's Euro 2012 qualifier. Team manager Fabio . Capello insisted Rooney had not been upset by his father's arrest. 'I found him relaxed and calm,' Capello said. 'There is no problem for the game, he will play against . Montenegro. He told me there are no problems.' On duty: Wayne Rooney (centre) trained today with Phil Jones and Danny Welbeck (left) while his father was questioned . Steve Jennings was arrested after allegedly getting himself sent off deliberately during a match . But Rooney's estranged cousin Stephen, 27, a homosexual and cross dresser, said the arrests were 'embarrassing'. 'It's hysterical, but I'm quite . surprised it's just the two,' he said. 'And they have the cheek to tell . me that putting a dress on is embarrassing for the family.' A spokesman for Merseyside Police . confirmed nine men, aged between 22 and 68, had been arrested in . Liverpool and Glasgow on suspicion of conspiracy to defraud as part of a . joint operation with the Gambling Commission into suspicious betting. Wayne Rooney Snr, footballer Wayne's father, is one of the nine people being questioned over an alleged betting scam . There was no sign yesterday of . unemployed Wayne Snr, a 48-year-old former boxer, at the home he shares . with Rooney's mother, Jeanette, in West Derby, Liverpool. Anthony Barnfather, the lawyer . representing him, said: 'Mr Rooney vigorously denies all of these . allegations. We are co-operating fully with the investigation. No . further comment will be made at this time.' Neighbours at 54-year-old Richie . Rooney's home, in Croxteth, Liverpool, confirmed a police car had been . parked outside the modest semi in the early hours. He refused to comment . when he returned home on bail yesterday afternoon. Members of the Press soon arrived outside the house of Wayne Rooney snr this afternoon . He spent 20 minutes inside before . being driven off in a Ford Focus by his daughter, Claire. One visitor, . who described himself as a member of the family, said: 'He doesn't know . anything about all this.' England captain John Terry, who has . experienced media attention on his own family, also backed Rooney. 'Wayne is focused on the game tomorrow,' Terry said. 'We all realise the importance of . that. It's important for him to go out there and play his football, . which he loves doing. He'll always be fully focused on the pitch.' Police were alerted after the . Association of British Bookmarkers raised concerns about a number of . irregular bets, ranging from £200 to £500, on Jennings being red-carded. Some of the activity is understood to have taken place via a new account opened in Liverpool – Rooney's home town. One bet of £500, placed at odds of 10/1, netted £5,000. Jennings had already been booked by referee Stevie O'Reilly when he was shown a straight red card seven minutes from time. The 26-year-old reportedly asked the referee when he was going to 'stop cheating' Motherwell. Speaking in the wake of the incident, . Jennings said: 'I want to make it clear I had no involvement whatsoever . in any betting scam. 'I want to clear my name as quickly as possible.' It is understood Jennings became friends with the Rooney family after striking up a friendship with Richie's son, Thomas, 26. By last night all nine men had been released on bail.
the red card given to Motherwell's Steve Jennings in a match against Hearts last December. Coleen, Montenegro with . the England team for today's Steve Jennings was arrested after allegedly getting himself sent off deliberately during a concerns about a number of . irregular bets, ranging from £200 to £500, on Jennings being