Bradley Wood

[Luke Imp]

Some of you may remember last season that there seemed to be a sudden change between Cowley and Wood heading into the final weeks of the season. Went from first choice RB (or CM sometimes) to being bit part, and in and out of the squad then disappearing all together with no explanation. He got caught drink driving (twice?), but this will have been the issue.

Well, he's been banned for 6 years for 25 counts of breaching betting rules and match integrity. He accepted counts 3-25, but didn't accept 1 and 2, which he was then found guilty of anyway.

Long story short, on counts 1 and 2, he or others (haven't read the whole report) put money on him to be booked in Lincoln vs Ipswich and Burnley vs Lincoln in the FA Cup last season.

I can't remember the Burnley card, but the Ipswich one was a 'one for the team' type, in a dangerous area late in the game. That could've been anyone and was a perfectly acceptable yellow in the circumstances but given the money that went on, it hardly helps your cause arguing that, even if it was an honest one.

http://www.thefa.com/news/2018/apr/19/bradley-wood-lincoln-suspended-190418

There's a link to the written reasons in there.

 

[Luke Imp]

Seems the charges go from October 2014 and April 2017, and only those two above were when with us.

 

[Richard Cranium]

Nice little earner for a non league player though

 

[Tranmerewhite]

Only right thing to do is a retrospective 5 point penalty from last season and to make the necessary adjustments..

 

[PaulHaddock]

What a tool.

 

[Shotsfan1993]

Only right thing to do is a retrospective 5 point penalty from last season and to make the necessary adjustments..

All they really need to do is swap your playoff trophy for last year's league trophy, so not really worth it

 

[DarkSithLord]

Really good 3 minute summary video by a local journo on the case here.

Shame to see his career end in this way. There is a good footballer in there when he puts his mind to it But he has clearly had personal issues and he only has himself to blame.

He hasnt been himself or looked remotely interested this season though. Not sure it was the wisest decision to give him a new contract to be honest. That is his career ruined. No coming back from this.

 

[Luke Imp]

Not a great few months for him back then.

Caught drink driving in February '17 (the morning after a night out), driving whilst disqualified from the previous conviction, charged with assault in December whilst playing 6-a-side back in August and now all this has come out, some of which happened around the same time, too.

 

[Master D]

Betting on a specific Non League player to get booked in a match would set alarm bells ringing immediately with the authorities. Thick cnut.

 

[Luke Imp]

Especially when said figures were running into four figures in some cases..and when some of those placing the bets had either never placed that type of bet before or never bet full stop.

 

[Tranmerewhite]

Just had someone remind me that when we beat Lincoln 3-2 in our first season down here, he was sent off for deliberate handball, makes you wonder..

 

[GTFCfish]

He's one of our own.........

 

[UTS]

A criminal record containing 25 betting scandals, 2 of which are match fixing.. assault and drink driving...

Sounds like a nice bloke.

Imagine putting thousands on yourself to be booked and not thinking you’d get caught.. surprised it’s taken so long.

 

[Jemfy]

A criminal record containing 25 betting scandals, 2 of which are match fixing.. assault and drink driving...

Sounds like a nice bloke.

Imagine putting thousands on yourself to be booked and not thinking you’d get caught.. surprised it’s taken so long.

I imagine one or two individuals on this forums would have described him as a "top bloke" if he'd been playing for their club, and will now deride him because he didn't.

Overall I wonder how much of this kind of thing goes on in non-league football as a whole. If it wasn't for the high profile games I don't think he would have got caught. I bet there's plenty of players breaching the rules one way or another like this and making a fair bit out of the bookies as a result.

 

[Luke Imp]

Yep, it certainly reads like they were looking into the two FA Cup games then uncovered the rest as part of the investigation.