AFC Wimbledon manager Wally Downes has been banned from all football activity for 28 days and fined by the Football Association after admitting breaking betting rules.
The 58-year-old admitted placing five bets on matches between November 30 2013 and January 30 2014, and three bets between March 16 2019 and July 12 2019.
An FA spokesperson said: “AFC Wimbledon manager Wally Downes has been fined £3,000 and suspended from all football and football-related activity for 28 days, until November 14 2019, after admitting breaching FA Betting rules.”
[2/2] Downes placed five bets on football matches between 30 November 2013 and 30 January 2014, and three bets between 16 March 2019 and 12 July 2019. — FA Spokesperson (@FAspokesperson) October 18, 2019
Downes has already missed four matches after being suspended by the club since first being charged on September 25.
Following the FA’s ruling, the Dons said they would “be making a further statement in due course”.
In Downes’ absence, assistant Glyn Hodges has picked up two wins in three League One games as well as an EFL Trophy win over Leyton Orient.
Club statement: https://t.co/mGvUBK6cHz #AFCW — AFC Wimbledon (@AFCWimbledon) October 18, 2019
However, the club remains in the League One relegation zone with nine points from 13 matches ahead of Saturday’s clash with Portsmouth.
Downes has been in charge of Wimbledon since December 2018 and guided the club to safety on the final day of last season after they picked up 21 points from their final 12 matches.
Downes spent almost a decade playing for the original Wimbledon between 1979 and 1988, and is often referred to as the ‘founder’ of the Crazy Gang.
