Football
ESPN staff 7y

FA charges Wayne Shaw for pie-eating incident in Sutton-Arsenal game

Former Sutton United goalkeeper Wayne Shaw has been charged with breaching FA rules after he ate a pie on the bench during a match against Arsenal last season.

A bookmaker had offered odds that Shaw, nicknamed the "roly-poly goalie," would eat a pie live on air during the FA Cup fifth-round tie against Arsenal at Sutton's Gander Green Lane stadium in February.

After National League side Sutton had made all three substitutes during the game, the backup keeper ate a pie, which was shown live by the BBC cameras. 

The FA and Gambling Commission then launched an investigation into a potential breach of betting rules, prompting Shaw to resign from Sutton, where he also held a coaching role.

On Thursday, the FA announced: "Wayne Shaw has been charged in relation to two breaches of FA Rules.

"It is alleged the former Sutton United goalkeeper intentionally influenced a football betting market during The Emirates FA Cup fifth round tie against Arsenal on Monday 20 February 2017, contrary to FA Rule E5(a).

"In addition, it is alleged he acted in a manner which was improper and/or brought the game into disrepute, contrary to FA Rule E3(1).

"He has until 6pm on Friday 21 July 2017 to respond to both charges."

After the incident, Shaw said he began to struggle with depression and stressed that he made no money out of the situation.

Speaking to BBC Radio 5 Live in May he said: "My world fell in. I was in tears. I had never been sacked in my life. It's on my mind every day, it probably will be for a long time.

"I've been through depression. I wasn't sleeping right, I could feel myself getting stressed. And I've still got that knot in my stomach. The following afternoon it was a situation where I either resigned or they sacked me.

"No one asked for my side of the story. The club's knee-jerk reaction was that they wanted nothing to do with it.

"I haven't made any money and my friends haven't made any money. I probably got carried away, after a whole career of having the mickey taking out of me. That was all it was meant to be."

Information from the Press Association was used in this report.

^ Back to Top ^