Players charged in relation to gambling

Five players have been charged with breaching the Football Association’s betting rules with some accused of gambling thousands of pounds on their team to lose.

The betting scandal relates to Accrington Stanley’s last game of the last League Two season at home to Bury.

Four players then at Accrington – Jay Harris, David Mannix, Robert Williams and Peter Cavanagh – and Andrew Mangan, who was at Bury, have been charged with betting on a victory for the visitors.

Both Harris and Cavanagh played in the game which ended 2-0 to Bury.

All five face serious sanctions including the possibility of long suspensions if the charges are found proven.

An FA statement said: “All five are alleged to have placed bets on Bury to win this match. Mannix is alleged to have placed stakes to the value of approximately £4,000 (€4,416); Mangan £3,500 (€3,865); Harris £2,000 (€2,208); Williams £1,000 (€1,104); and Cavanagh on a £5 (€5.52) accumulator.”

The FA were alerted after bookies in the north-west reported unusual betting patterns in the lead-up to the match with higher than usual amounts being staked in particular areas of the country.

Harris, who is now registered at Chester City, has also been charged in relation to betting on a game involving his new club and another two League Two fixtures.

Cavanagh has also been charged with further breaches in relation to his betting on another Accrington Stanley match in which he played and on a number of other League Two matches.

All five have until April 23 to respond to the charges.

Meanwhile, Leighton McGivern, also registered with Accrington Stanley at the time of the game, was charged last month with failure to provide the FA with information requested during the course of the investigation. He has denied the charge.