[themaclad]

Announces his retiement after being banned for 18 monts and fined £30,000 for betting on matches between 2006 and 2016, he is planning to appeal, he's addicted to gambling and backed his own sides to lose, had a bit of an up and down career but on his day a decent player prone at times to being a plonker.
Vital cog in getting the Clarets promoted last season, will he be missed most certainly but not everyone's cup of tea though.

[St Charles Owl]

Was always the type of player you wanted in your team but not in the team you were playing. Not particularly gifted as a player but very effective.

As an aside, I think players should be allowed to bet on games but regulate it by making them place the bets with a FL/PL/FA run bookies. Rules would still prohibit them placing bets on their own team and maybe even on their own division but why shouldn't a footballer be able to place a bet on other teams and games?? The addiction side is a different subject and one that socially needs to be tackled just like alcohol or drug addictions.

As regards him betting on his team to lose, apparently this was only in games where he knew he was not involved in the games through injury, suspension or not being picked in the squad. Still not right, but not match fixing either.

[themaclad]

To be honest I bet against North End on Monday night but it's the same in all sports betting is not allowed unless you bet on a different sports

[Lord Snooty]

With so many teams sponsored by on line gambling sites and even the Football League itself sponsored by something called Sky Bet, is it just me that thinks all this is rather hypocritical?