Long-serving Town kitman James Pullen has been fined and handed a suspended ban from football by the FA having admitted placing 867 bets on football matches over a six-year period.

Former keeper Pullen, who we understand has now left the club having initially been suspended, was charged with misconduct under FA Rule E1.2 on 14th May this year regarding 867 bets placed on football between 30th March 2018 and 13th March 2024, each bet a separate breach of FA Rule E8 which prohibits anyone working for a club from betting on football.

After Pullen had pleaded guilty at a paper hearing via Microsoft Teams, an independent regulatory commission imposed a three-month suspension from all football and football-related activity, suspended in full until the end of the 2025/26 season, and a £750 fine.

Most of the bets were accumulators, including 120 of 126 involving Town. None of the bets involving the Blues predicted a defeat, although three were on draws, something which was of concern to the commission and aggravated the offence, although considered at the lower end of the scale.

There was one spot bet involving Town, a £5 single losing bet on a Blues player scoring a hat-trick against Rochdale January 3rd 2021.

Almost all the bets were small stakes with the total sum over the period £1,400.79 with the returns £792.67 and losses £608.12. At the hearing, Pullen and his counsellor likened the betting activity to “two-pence slot games”.

Chelmsford-born Pullen, 42, admitted wrongdoing at the earliest possible opportunity, accepted he had placed the bets, apologised and cooperated fully with the FA. The FA’s case made no suggestion that there was any insider knowledge or similar.

He was deemed to have shown genuine remorse and ceased his misconduct immediately, while the panel wasn’t aware of any previous breaches of the rules.

Pullen initially joined Town as a goalkeeper from Heybridge Swifts in September 1999 and went on to make two senior appearances.

Spells with Blackpool, Dagenham & Redbridge, Peterborough, back at Heybridge, Hornchurch, Ebbsfleet, AFC Wimbledon and Chelmsford followed.

He returned to Town in June 2013, initially as first-team masseur, before taking on the kitman role.

The FA's written reasons can be found here, while the Blues say they won't be issuing a comment on the matter.

Photo: Matchday Images

Monkey_Blue added 16:45 - Jul 16 Sad really and I can see both sides. Betting companies flood society with advertising and he’s clearly not influencing games corruptly etc, but it’s also true he would have some Level of inside knowledge & that he would have known it was against the rules. The fact he clearly doesn’t have a gambling addiction issue makes it worse and it was just a bit of fun.. as he could have simply not done it. I’ve never really been a gambling person except a couple of stag dos at the horses and the odd lottery ticket now and again so can’t really even speak about the enjoyment of non problem betting. Hope he gets a career sorted elsewhere doing whatever pretty soon.

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Super_Cooper added 16:51 - Jul 16 Silly boy.
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MalcolmBlue added 16:53 - Jul 16 He’s the kit man, why can’t they bet? Does the same rule apply for all club staff including the chefs and the tea lady? Also how did they find out, the stakes of the bet are so small I don’t understand how he has been unfairly treated. It’s clear he’s not match fixing, he practically only just covered his losses
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Wonky added 16:56 - Jul 16 Glad to see disciplinary action taken. Definitely not a whitewash.
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Bert added 17:14 - Jul 16 A silly and costly mistake and an error judgement. That said, he deserves a second chance and I hope he finds a job soon.
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IpswichT62OldBoy added 17:15 - Jul 16 MalcolmBlue "breach of FA Rule E8 which prohibits ANYONE working for a club from betting on football." My capitals.
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cressi added 17:17 - Jul 16 If he had been a top player betting thousands we would have supported him. Not sure if he quid or we sacked him but I feel we should have supported him hardly Tonali or Merson was he.
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runningout added 17:26 - Jul 16 Bet he’s not the only one in similar position doing it (see what I did there)
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sussexblue22 added 17:45 - Jul 16 Am I missing something here. Appreciate the club probably needed to suspend James initially while the club and FA investigated the issue, however he has now been giving a suspended ban, therefore is not prohibited from working. Hoping he has another opportunity lined up already, and his decision to leave the club. Hoped the club would’ve otherwise support/rehabilitate etc as a minor offence. The likes of Ivan Toney (huge assets to their clubs) are supported. A great servant to the club. All the best James Pullen.

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BlueJudge added 17:57 - Jul 16 Always loved his passion for the club. Just a shame betting crept into his life. Foolish habit. Best wishes for him and his family.
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Essexnblue added 17:59 - Jul 16 sussexblue22, the difference now is that the club lives and breathes integrity, however much the amount or sentence given. The lad broke the rules that he was fully aware of. How do the younger generation look up to this type of behaviour, it has been squashed, we move on.
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sussexblue22 added 18:20 - Jul 16 Essexnblue i don’t disagree, however wonder what the story would be if it turned out that one of our £15m+ new signings had done similar. Thinking Tonali example.
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_clive_baker_ added 18:21 - Jul 16 @blues1 I think we’re saying the same thing.
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cressi added 18:44 - Jul 16 Exactly suffolk Blue
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leftie1972 added 18:59 - Jul 16 Ridiculous when you look at the money spent over the time period and how much was returned. Hardly life changing was it.
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ronnyd added 19:18 - Jul 16 1400 quid over six years, seems a silly amount to screw your career over.
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churchmans added 20:10 - Jul 16 Well over the top! But those are the rules tho! I love betting on a Saturday! Early payout on BET365 is awesome! Don't win much betting a tenna every week but great fun! Like others have mentioned it seems a bit hypercritical when club sponsorship,football programmes and advertising is awash with betting companies
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LuciBlue added 00:09 - Jul 17 Does the rule extend to family members & friends too? There seems an easy way around this.
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SickParrot added 08:43 - Jul 17 I hope he wasn't sacked. He was foolish but pleaded guilty and has accepted the punishment, so I don't see why he should lose his job. A fine and suspended 3 month ban indicates that this is a minor offence. I hope he finds a new post soon. For me the rules need to be changed. It's rediculous that any employee
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SickParrot added 08:50 - Jul 17 is not allowed to bet on football. Low level support staff should be excluded. Only employees who can influence the result of a game should be banned from betting. Even then the ban should only apply to games that their club is involved in.
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