By Andrew Warshaw
August 20 – British football has been rocked by two separate cases of illegal betting, one involving a Scottish international, the other the managing director of fourth-tier club, as the outlawed practise is one again brought into sharp focus.
Rangers midfielder Ian Black has been issued with a Scottish Football Association notice of complaint, alleging that he had been involved in no fewer than 160 cases of illegal betting on matches in contravention of rules which prevent any player from betting on the outcome of games other than through the official pools.
The alleged offences stretch over a period dating from March 2006 to July this year, during which time Black also played for Hearts and Inverness Caledonian Thistle.
Three of the charges relate to betting on his own “then registered” club not to win.
Black faces a hearing on September 12 and has until Monday August 26 to respond to the complaint. The range of punishments includes a fine, suspension or expulsion from the game.
Black made his international debut for Scotland against Australia in August last year but his career now hangs in the balance. The SFA said there was no evidence to suggest he had tried to throw matches for his own financial gain but refused to confirm which matches he was accused of betting against his own team.
Meanwhile, League Two Accrington Stanley managing director Robert Heys has been suspended from all football activity for 21 months by the English Football Association after breaching their betting regulations.
Heys has admitted to 735 breaches of betting rules but said he intends to appeal the punishment.
He revealed on his personal website that over a period of 10 years he had made over 200 bets on games involving his own club, including 37 matches in which he had backed Accrington to lose.
“These bets were made via a number of online betting accounts which I had at that time – all of which are now closed,” he said. “These were small stake bets and many were part of an accumulator bet where there was also a reliance on other clubs to win as well – clubs that had no connection to Accrington Stanley.”
“Anyone who knows me personally will know that I only ever want a win for my team. This has always been the case and on occasions when I have very occasionally bet against my club over the last 10 years I would always have been very happy to lose the stake and take the result.
“I accept that I broke the rules and that I must receive a punishment. However, on consideration and following consultation with my representatives, we do feel that a suspension period of 21 months is severe and inappropriately harsh.”
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