Two men charged with conspiracy to defraud as part of an investigation into match-fixing in English lower league soccer were remanded in custody yesterday.

The two, named Chann Sankaran, a 33-year-old Singapore national, and Krishna Sanjey Ganeshan, a 43-year-old with dual UK and Singapore nationality, appeared at Cannock Magistrates Court yesterday.

According to the National Crime Agency both are alleged to be members of an illegal betting syndicate based in Singapore. They were both remanded in custody until December 13.

The charges allege that between November 1 and 26, "the two men conspired together with each other and others to defraud bookmakers by influencing the courses of football matches and placing bets thereon", the BBC said on its website.

The pair was among six people arrested earlier this week on suspicion of match-fixing. A seventh man has since been arrested and he and four others were bailed on Thursday.

A Daily Telegraph report said the focus was on the lower leagues, although one former Premier League player who is now an agent but still playing at a minor level, was implicated.

According to the Telegraph report one of the alleged fixers said in a covertly recorded interview that he had "manipulated" World Cup matches.

Reacting to the latest allegations FIFA Vice President Jim Boyce told the paper: "Match-fixing is a very serious problem and is one that has to be tackled at the very highest level.

"Anyone found guilty will be banned for life. FIFA has many investigations working throughout the world to try to erode the game of this cancer. It has got to be stamped out."

Earlier this year, an inquiry by European police forces, Europol and national prosecutors uncovered a global betting scam run from Singapore.

About 680 suspicious matches, including the UEFA Champions League and qualifying games for the World Cup and European Championships, were identified in the investigation.

Reacting to yesterday's news, Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger claimed that match-fixing cannot be eradicated but English soccer is 99.9 percent clean.

"I don't believe that in England people fix matches, but we live in an international world and you cannot just stop it at the border anymore," Wenger said at his Friday news conference.

"It's a new problem that we all face. I still think that 99.9 percent, the English game is completely clean. I hope that (the recent charges) are an isolated incident.

"When you see the happiness of the players when they score goals, even in the lower divisions, the passion of the fans when I was at Barnet for example, I can't believe there is a match-fixing problem in England.

"Can it be eradicated completely? I'm not sure. Is it a concern for me and you who love the game? Certainly yes."