LONDON (AFP) - Trading in shares in Birmingham City football club was suspended on the London Stock Exchange on Thursday amid an investigation into suspected corruption, the Stock Exchange said.

Trading in the English Premiership club's stock was halted pending a further announcement, after it emerged that managing director Karren Brady and co-owner David Sullivan had been interviewed.

Brady and Sullivan were arrested on Wednesday and questioned and bailed by officers from City of London's economic crime unit, who raided the club's offices last month.

The club later issued a statement which said: "We wish to make it plain that David, Karren and Birmingham City FC deny absolutely any wrong-doing."

It added that the police investigation is focusing on payments to a football agent and two players which date back to 2002/03.

The club said it was cooperating fully with police and said there was "no allegation that any director of the company or the club itself has benefited financially from any of this activity."

An investigation concluded last year by former London police chief John Stevens probed 362 transfers involving English clubs and found that 17 of them could not be cleared as legitimate.

Brady, 39, is a rare female figure in the male-dominated world of football club membership.

Sullivan, the multi-millionaire former proprietor of the Daily Sport and Sunday Sport tabloid newspapers, owns Birmingham City with brothers David and Ralph Gold.

Shares in Birmingham City had been trading at 35.5 pence until the suspension announcement which came half an hour before the start of London trading.

The club based in central England are currently 17th in the league, just one place above the relegation places.