FA opens investigation into alleged breach of betting regulations by Kettering manager

The Football Association has opened an investigation into allegations of a breach of betting regulations by the Kettering Town manager, Liam McDonald.

The allegations are understood to be historic and relate to McDonald’s time as manager of Redditch a decade ago. They include a claim that he bet against his own team. The FA’s betting rules enforce a strict ban on any participants in the game from Step 4 upwards placing any bets on football anywhere in the world.

Kettering are in the Southern League Premier Central division, which is one of two leagues feeding into the National League South and is classed as Step 3 of the National League, and the seventh tier of the overall pyramid topped by the Premier League.

Redditch were also in the Southern League Premier when McDonald was at the club in his first management role between 2013 and 2016 before he left to take further jobs at Hednesford Town, Solihull Moors, Rushall and Stourbridge in a successful non-league career.

McDonald is understood to have voluntarily brought the issue to Kettering’s attention, with the club standing by him. The FA has not issued any charges at this stage and it is unclear if they will do so.

The FA has taken on a number of high-profile betting cases in recent years, but also taken action to uphold its rules at lower levels.

Ivan Toney was given an eight-month ban after being found guilty of 232 rule breaches three years ago, while the then West Ham midfielder Lucas Paquetá was last year cleared of four counts of being deliberately booked to influence betting markets.

In its case against Toney the FA was able to prove that the England striker bet on his own sides to win 16 times in 15 different matches of which he played 11, as well as placing 13 bets on his own team to lose in seven matches, although he did not play in any of those games.

The FA and Kettering declined to comment.