The former Shrewsbury and Cheltenham striker Ryan Bowman has been banned for three and a half years for breaches of Football Association betting regulations. The 33-year-old admitted having placed 6,397 bets between 15 June 2022 and 13 September 2023, according to the written reasons of an independent commission that heard the case.
Of those bets, 108 were found to relate to matches or competitions involving Exeter during his time at that club, and 243 were found to relate to matches or competitions involving Shrewsbury when he was with the Shropshire side.
The independent commission which issued the ban said this was “a most serious case” which “includes a number of egregious examples of breaches of the FA rules against betting”.
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The commission found Bowman’s extensive use of other people’s accounts was a serious aggravating feature, and it added it had “no doubt this was a further attempt by [Bowman] to hide his extensive football betting activity, which he knew at all material times, was against the rules”.
Cheltenham, who signed Bowman on a one-year deal last July, said they were aware he was under investigation but had not been aware of the “full extent” of the matter until October.
“Club officials supported Ryan through what has been a difficult time for him and despite his departure from Cheltenham Town this summer, again we would like to place on record our thanks to him and wish him and his family all the best for the future,” the club said.
