A FOOTBALL club official has been suspended after betting against his own team — 130 times.
Swansea City’s player liaison officer Huw Lake put 2,476 bets on matches between 2018 and 2023.
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He has now been banned from working in football for 12 months and fined £1,500.
The 61-year-old official gambled almost £92,000, but lost more than he won, racking up losses of £7,437 over five years.
Lake has been in personal contact with top players for 20 years at the Welsh club, including while in the Premier League.
He was an apprentice during the Swans’ first taste of top-flight glory, making his debut in the final game in the old First Division and playing a total of 23 times under manager John Toshack before being released.
He admitted the illegal bets — including 130 for Swansea to lose — and an independent Regulatory Commission initially banned him for three months, with another nine to be served at the end of the 2024/25 season.
But the FA appealed, saying the punishment was too lenient.
It argued Lake was a respected individual in a position of influence and his actions could have put players and staff at risk.
An Appeal Board agreed and imposed an immediate 12-month ban.
Lake has been employed by Swansea since 2004 and became the player liaison officer in 2007.
The club said it will continue to support Lake.