Chris Maguire Handed Betting Punishment

Chris Maguire has been banned from football for six weeks after the FA discovered multiple betting violations.

An independent regulatory commission initially fined the 34-year-old, who played for Lincoln City between 2021 and 2022, £750 after he was found to have violated FA rule E8 regarding betting. The original verdict was appealed by the FA and was changed to a six-week ban, which has been backdated to the 22nd November 2022, meaning Maguire will not be affected in the present as he has already served the six weeks. The news of Maguire’s betting charges broke in August, with the winger being suspended by City and then later having his contract mutually terminated, although that was likely to happen anyway, even without the allegations.

Chris joined Lincoln City in 2021 and was viewed as an experienced replacement for the likes of Brennan Johnson and Morgan Rogers, who returned to their parents clubs after a play-off final defeat with the Imps. Maguire was hailed a king at Sunderland, with many thinking that he shouldn’t have been released by the club and that he was treated unfairly by manager Lee Johnson. Chris was tempted to join City due to the relationship he had with Michael Appleton, who he had previously worked with at Oxford United. However, despite looking like a smart signing bar a few creative performances in his first few games and his hattrick heroics at Sunderland, he struggled and wasn’t popular with the fanbase. Despite being told that he was free to leave in the summer, he started the campaign with City and was given some oppourtuntiies by Mark Kennedy. He made his first start of the 22/23 season against Doncaster in the EFL Trophy, where he left the pitch to a standing ovation from the City fans. However with later additions in the transfer window, Chris fell down the pecking order and with betting allegations against the player, he was suspended and then released by the club.

Chris was originally charge with placing fifty-two bets between March 17th 2017 and February 12th 2022. However, the trial has seen the charges reduced to ten after the player requested a personal hearing. The FA report shows that at least one of the bets placed by Chris were on Lincoln City and the one in particular that was mentioned was for us to beat Wycombe Wanderers in February, a game he played ninety minutes in and one we drew 1-1 thanks to Liam Cullen’s first goal for the club.

“Charge 4 – 6 bets in season 2021/22 including one bet on 12th February being against his own club, Lincoln City (bet for them to win) with only one bet on 25 January 2022 being admitted.”

Chris ‘signed’ for Hartlepool United after his contract was mutually terminated with City in September 2022, but since then his proposed move to Hartlepool has collapsed meaning he is a free agent.