14 PLAYERS & MANAGERS FACING SFA FINES FOR GAMBLING
New Morton boss on list of match bets accused
A DOZEN Scottish football stars and two managerial staff have been accused of breaching SFA betting rules after being named in a gambling probe.
Six Elgin City players are among those facing disciplinary panels.
All 14 are accused of betting on matches, which is banned by football chiefs.
It’s understood some put wagers on their side to win as part of accumulator bets. But it’s believed none are involved in any sort of match-fixing.
Dougie Imrie – appointed manager of Scottish Championship side Greenock Morton last month – is among those accused.
Imrie, 38, is alleged to have bet on matches between July 2011 and October 2019. During that period he was still a player and turned out for Hamilton Accies, Morton and St Mirren.
Morton said last night the complaint related to “alleged historic breaches” of gambling rules.
Gordon Young, 57, currently No2 at Cove Rangers, is accused between 2014-15 and 2020-21, when he was employed by clubs including Dundee United and East Fife.
Shane Sutherland, 31, a forward with Championship club Inverness
Caledonian Thistle, is accused between July 2011 and June 2019.
Arbroath midfielder Gavin Swankie, 38 – who has played for Dundee and St Johnstone during a long career – is accused during the 2012-13, 2013-14, 2015-16, 2016-17, 2017-18, 2018-19, 2019-20 and 2020-21 seasons.
The SFA will hold hearings next month to decide on potential punishments.
For Scottish Championship, Leagues One and Two clubs, the lower end fine is £500, the mid-range is £2500 and the top end is £5000.
The Elgin players accused of breaches are Aiden Sopel, 22, Conor O’Keefe, 23, Darryl McHardy, 26, Matthew Cooper, 27, Rabin Omar, 24, and Thomas McHale, 26.
An Elgin City spokesman said: “We will speak to our players, our lawyers and the SFA to determine the most appropriate way to proceed.”
Ashley Ballam, 21, of Highland League Strathspey Thistle, is accused, as is Bryan Gilfillan, 37, of Threave Rovers.
James McGowan, 29, with Albion Rovers, is also among the 14, along with Robert Scott, 24, of Highland League club Deveronvale.
A SFA spokesman said: “We are unable to comment on ongoing disciplinary cases.”