Faria Alam is thought to be seeking �30,000 in compensation

They instead backed executive director David Davies, who denies the claim.

Ms Alam, 39, says Kim Fisher and Sarah Ford told her Mr Davies had a "bit of a reputation" - but an FA lawyer told the hearing they claim she was lying.

Miss Alam resigned after her affairs with England coach Sven-Goran Eriksson and FA chief Mark Palios became public.

She denies quitting in order to make money from newspapers and is claiming unfair dismissal, breach of contract and unequal pay against the FA.

She is also claiming Mr Davies sexually harassed her. She is thought to be seeking about �30,000 in compensation.

David Davies denies sexually harassing Faria Alam

At Thursday's hearing, Jeffrey Bacon, representing the FA, said Miss Alam had fabricated conversations with her former colleagues a week before the tribunal, hoping they would not be tracked down as witnesses.

Mr Bacon said Miss Ford had been tracked down in south east Asia last week and that statements from both women had been collected within 48 hours.

He told the hearing: "They were so indignant that they gave witness statements, they absolutely refuted what you said."

The FA's former director of communications Colin Gibson said it "did what we could to come to her rescue" when Miss Alam had asked for help "to stop the media intrusion".

I thought the worst of all options would be for the stories to come out in a wholly uncontrolled way The FA's former director of communications Colin Gibson

"She completely denied ever putting anything in an e-mail about a relationship with Sven and then denied having an affair with Mark Palios," Mr Gibson told the hearing.

But the FA had been put in "an impossible situation" once its examination of Miss Alam's work e-mail account had revealed she had lied.

"Then the chief executive asked us for help and we tried to come to his rescue," Mr Gibson told the hearing.

Mr Palios ordered Mr Gibson "to do anything I could to keep it out of the paper, that he was attempting a reconciliation with one of his children and that it could be finished if there were stories about his private life", the tribunal was told.

'Massive problem'

Mr Gibson had then offered the News Of The World an exclusive "kiss and tell" interview with Miss Alam about her affair with Mr Eriksson if they would agree not to mention Mr Palios, the tribunal was told.

"It was clear we had a massive problem," said Mr Gibson.

"The press knew and had proof that Faria's e-mails were true.

"I thought the worst of all options would be for the stories to come out in a wholly uncontrolled way."

Mr Gibson said he had told Miss Alam's lawyer "things would be three times worse... if she did not give an interview".

When Miss Alam had refused to give the interview, the newspaper published a transcript of Mr Gibson's attempt to negotiate the deal, and he resigned, the tribunal was told.

"I felt it would be extremely difficult for Sven to work with me in the light of what happened," Mr Gibson added.