Ex-Sunderland favourite Chris Maguire serves suspension after FA reveal details of betting breaches

An independent commission initially served Maguire with a £750 fine and a warning, but a successful FA appeal means he has now been served with a six-week suspension from all football activities.

That suspension has been backdated to November, meaning the 34-year-old is now free to resume his playing career.

It is unclear what Maguire's next steps will be having signed for Hartlepool United ahead of his hearing earlier this season. That deal was designed to take into account a potential future ban, but was therefore rejected by the PFA and the move did not progress.

Maguire and Lincoln City had parted company by mutual consent after the initial FA charges, many of which were withdrawn ahead of his hearing. Those included alleged breaches in the 2019/20 and 2020/21 campaigns, when Maguire played for Sunderland.

One of the charges relating to Maguire's time at Sunderland was upheld, though the bet in question was unconnected to the Black Cats.

The FA report, published this afternoon, reads: "CM did admit that he had placed a football bet through his Skybet account 75285932.1 (identified as “Skybet 37”) on 13th March 2021 for £50. He explained this as a mistake after he clicked on an offer and he immediately cancelled out of the bet and cashed it out before the events."

The total stake of the ten bets either admitted or subsequently found proven was £100. Six of those involved Maguire's own clubs, but none of those were placed during his time on Wearside.