Austen Booth banned

Yellow6 · Post by **Yellow6** » 22 Aug 2024, 13:42

So, a nine month ban for betting breaches. That's his season gone. Will / can the club cancel his contract?? Shame. Silly lad.

brucie · Post by **brucie** » 22 Aug 2024, 13:49

I would have thought that was likely - hard to see how two of his Taunton teamates got less than half that ban for betting on matches they were playing in

dagglebert · Post by **dagglebert** » 22 Aug 2024, 15:46

Seems harsh. But I don't think we can afford to pay someone for doing nothing for a whole season. I imagine his contract will have a relevant clause.

desperado · Post by **desperado** » 22 Aug 2024, 17:06

You mean like we did last season with most of them ?

North Curry House · Post by **North Curry House** » 22 Aug 2024, 21:22

He can be dismissed for Gross Misconduct for not revealing that he was under investigation for those offences. I like the lad but we can not pay him for nothing. Maybe he could train with us and sign on when his sentence is served. Any chance of an appeal?....Just show some remorse, say sorry and get a shorter ban.

Griff1n · Post by **Griff1n** » 23 Aug 2024, 09:24

I’m not sure that Austen will be allowed to train with us, certainly in Ivan Toney’s case he was banned from all football related activity meaning that he could not train with all the other Bees.

AdrianC · Post by **AdrianC** » 23 Aug 2024, 12:01

I think you are correct, the ban applies I believe to all football activities. I assume that doesn’t apply to him doing workshops with the younger players on what not to do.

Post by **Dave** » 24 Aug 2024, 11:07

North Curry House wrote: ↑22 Aug 2024, 21:22 He can be dismissed for Gross Misconduct for not revealing that he was under investigation for those offences. I like the lad but we can not pay him for nothing. Maybe he could train with us and sign on when his sentence is served. Any chance of an appeal?....Just show some remorse, say sorry and get a shorter ban.

If we remember when Austen Booth signed a 2 year contract with TUFC, his contract at Taunton had to be paid off, of which Booth paid 50% out of his own pocket, I highly doubt he did that knowing he was investigation which could ultimately lead to a season long ban and potentially end any hope of a full time professional career.

No chance of any appeal, he's broken the rules, his ban is from all football related events, so doubt he can train with the team either, he'll have to take care of his fitness in his own time. In the statements made by the club it said that both the club and Austen Booth cooperated in full, can't imagine that Booth didn't do anything else but show the upmost remorse, as stated he broke the rules, and did so on 289 occasions, the ban is the ban.

The club still have a duty of care here, so can only hope they're giving all the support he needs, and if he does get a 2nd bite at the cherry, I have no doubt he'll come back stronger for it.

leetufc · Post by **leetufc** » 24 Aug 2024, 11:55

Obviously don't know the exact details of what Austen has bet on, but he has a longer ban than Toney who bet on himself and his own team, accordig to media reports.

Toney had an eight month ban, but was allowed to return to training earlier than that, so hopefully something similar applies here.

The rules are the rules, so can't argue with that. I do think there needs to be a wider reform here those on thoses rules and the punishments. In all cases the ban seems disproportionate to the crime to me, if no direct evidence of match fixing involved, and especially considering football's links with the gambling industry at all levels - I think 13 prem teams have gambling sponsors this season.

MellowYellow · Post by **MellowYellow** » 24 Aug 2024, 12:50

The question not asked is whether Austen has a gambling addiction? If so throwing the book at him will not get to the root of the problem. To get a season long ban must mean that the breaches were considered of the utmost seriousness - suggesting betting against his own team. To have gone 4 years betting without being outed would suggest he was concealing the betting. The lack of control Austen had/has in respect of gambling is clearly a reflection of a gambling addiction (an illness) and ought to be medically diagnosed as such as I do not think a ban is an effective way of treating the problem..

Abbotgull · Post by **Abbotgull** » 24 Aug 2024, 14:16

leetufc wrote: ↑24 Aug 2024, 11:55 ...... especially considering football's links with the gambling industry at all levels - I think 13 prem teams have gambling sponsors this season.

It's rank hypocrisy. Given that gambling addiction does more harm than smoking, sponsorship by gambling companies should go the same way as tobacco sponsorship.

brucie · Post by **brucie** » 25 Aug 2024, 14:19

Its absolutely nonsensical to suggest that Booth has a gambling addiction. The number of bets he is alleged to have placed would have equated to something like one a week. It might suggest more likely that he had a bet on a saturday which alot of young men do.

Yours is a ridiculous post honestly - hes bound to have recieved a ban its contrary to FA regulations. Do Tyler Harvey - currently being investigated for over 400 bets or Connor Riley Lowe (81 bets) have gambling addictions?

In Booth case the level he was playing at would have meant that there were not too many betting markets available in matches that he was involved ie card or goal markets.

Booths ban seems harsh given that two Taunton players got 4 months each for bets involving betting on matches in which they were involved in.

Whatever hes been foolish and its has cost him but its out or order to speculate that hes got an addiction.

Taelee73 · Post by **Taelee73** » 25 Aug 2024, 17:11

Well unfortunately it’s cost us as well, a player who’s fit missing the entire season while still being paid. Even though he was young when he made those bets, he must have known by the time he signed for us that it could come back to haunt him. Did he inform the club or just keep quiet? If it were the second one then he will consider himself lucky that the club seems to be sticking with him.
If he can’t be involved on the footballing side, I hope we are getting him to clean, paint, tidy the ground or similar and help contribute that way.

Brewers boy · Post by **Brewers boy** » 25 Aug 2024, 17:25

Harsh to take away the Lads livelihood. And effectively put him on the dole. If the club don't sack him then it's a punishment on the club which had nothing to do with it. A long ban for a premiership player is one thing, most of them seem to be awash with money, whereas a lad on £500 or so a week is a different matter. I would have thought that a community service sentence would have been more appropriate.

Yellow6 · Post by **Yellow6** » 25 Aug 2024, 18:02

This isn't a criminal conviction, it's an FA sanction so the likes of community service doesn't apply. Still seems disproportionate though. If the ban is upheld I would, unfortunately, look to cancel his contract as he cannot perform the function he will be paid for. I like Booth as a player but if he can't be productive on the field then he is effectively useless.

Torquay United Fans Forum