SOUTHAMPTON, England -- Detectives from two police forces are studying videotapes of conversations in which former Liverpool goalkeeper Bruce Grobbelaar is alleged to have accepted bribes.


The English Football Association, having already seen the tapes, has charged the Zimbabwean with taking bribes but has decided not to suspend the player while the case is pending.


Grobbelaar, 37, who now plays for Southampton and Sunday was on the Zimbabwe team that posted in a 2-1 African Nations Cup victory over Zaire, faces a possible jail sentence if the police decide to prosecute. Three players, including two English international stars, were jailed for four months in the last big bribery scandal in 1965.


Fraud squad officer from Hampshire and Merseyside police forces met Wednesday to begin their investigation into the bribery allegations and watch the tapes.


Since the Sun tabloid first published the allegations last week, Grobbelaar has consistently denied them and has begun a libel action against the paper. He has 14 days to answer the FA's charges.


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Former England captain Gerry Francis, whose resignation from Queens Park Rangers was accepted last week, was named Tuesday as manager of Tottenham on a busy day of managerial maneuvering in the English Premier League.


Francis' old job at Rangers went to Ray Wilkins, another former England captain, who has now left Crystal Palace.


Francis resigned from Rangers on Nov. 3 after a dispute with the club's directors. He replaces Ossie Ardiles, who was fired two weeks ago.


Wilkins will make his managerial debut Saturday, at home against Leeds.


The two announcements left Aston Villa, which fired Ron Atkinson last week, as the only Premier League team without a manager.