Football Association charge Ivan Toney over 232 alleged breaches of betting rules

By Matt Law, Football Editor | 16 November 2022

FA charge Ivan Toney over 232 alleged breaches of betting rules

The Football Association charge Brentford centre-forward Ivan Toney with misconduct relating to 232 alleged breaches of betting rules over a four-year period.

The Football Association have charged Brentford centre-forward Ivan Toney with misconduct relating to 232 alleged breaches of betting rules.

The 26-year-old was left out of the England squad for the 2022 World Cup despite being tipped to earn a call-up due to his strong form in the early stages of the 2022-23 campaign.

Toney has scored 11 goals and registered three assists in 16 appearances this season, including a brace in Brentford's 2-1 win over Manchester City in the Premier League last weekend.

However, the striker has now been hit with an FA charge, with the breaches said to have occurred between February 2017 and January 2021.

Brentford's Ivan Toney celebrates scoring their first goal with Bryan Mbeumo on November 12, 2022 © Reuters

"Ivan Toney has been charged with misconduct in relation to alleged breaches of the FA's betting rules," read a statement from the FA.

"It is alleged that the Brentford FC forward breached FA rule E8 232 times between February 25, 2017 and January 23, 2021. Ivan Toney has until Thursday, November 24 to provide a response."

Brentford have since released a statement of their own responding to the charge.

"Brentford FC has been informed that Ivan Toney has been charged with breaches of FA Rule E8," the Premier League club said on Wednesday afternoon.

"The club has been in discussion with Ivan and his legal representatives about this matter and those conversations will continue privately. We will make no further comment until the matter has been completed."

Thomas Frank and Ivan Toney celebrate Brentford's win over Manchester City on November 12, 2022. © Reuters

When the story was broken by the Daily Mail, Toney took to social media to reveal that he was "assisting" the FA "with their enquiries".

"I'm aware of a story about me in a national newspaper today. I have been assisting the Football Association with their enquiries and will not be making any comment until such investigation has reached its conclusion," Toney wrote on Twitter earlier this month.

"I am a proud Englishman and it has always been my childhood dream to play for my country at a World Cup finals."

Toney started his professional career at Northampton Town before moving to Newcastle United in 2015, but he spent the majority of his time with the Magpies out on loan.

The forward's next permanent club was Peterborough United in 2018, and his impressive record for the Posh, scoring 49 goals in 94 appearances, saw him earn a move to Brentford in 2020.