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Former Sutton keeper Wayne Shaw admits naivety in 'piegate' role

Former Sutton goalkeeper Wayne Shaw has admitted he was "naive'' with regard to the "piegate" controversy that led to him leaving the club and being sanctioned by the Football Association.

The 45-year-old was seen eating a pie on the bench during giant-killing Sutton's televised FA Cup loss to Arsenal in February -- something a bookmaker had offered odds on the likelihood of him doing.

Shaw left the National League outfit -- in May he said it had been "a situation where I either resigned or they sacked me'' -- and on Wednesday was fined £375 and suspended from all football-related activity for two months by the FA for betting-related offences.

The charge of intentionally influencing a football betting market, which Shaw denied, was found proven at an Independent Regulatory Commission hearing.

Asked on Thursday if he regretted the incident, Shaw told BBC Radio 5 Live: "Yes.

"I was a little bit naive and got carried away with the emotions of it all.

"I'd had years of 'who ate all the pies?' and I thought 'let's have a bit of fun back.'

"The club have got to be seen to do something. They didn't want my story, what I was going to say.

"But now everyone can move on from it.''

Shaw is certain there is no way back for him at Sutton but insists he is pleased to see the club doing well this season, with the U's currently fourth in the National League.

He says he has had "testing times'' since the incident and is pleased to have the "closure'' of Wednesday's decision by the FA.

"It's brilliant to have closure on a very tough seven months for myself and my family, with not too many highs but a lot of lows,'' said Shaw, who has been working with AFC Totton.

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