Colly James 18 month ban

**ATFC-1887** · 11/06/2013, 6:37 PM

Taken from the LOI Blog

BREAKING: Longford Town FC midfielder Colly James hit with a 18 month ban after being found guilty on 6 counts of breaching rules associated with match integrity.

**ATFC-1887** · 11/06/2013, 6:40 PM

Longford Town midfielder Colm James has been handed an 18 month ban from all football activities by the FAI Disciplinary Committee after being found guilty of six counts of breaking FAI rules associated with match integrity.

The FAI released the following statement this evening regarding the matter;

"The FAI Disciplinary Committee has banned a Longford Town player from all football-related activities for 18 months after he was found guilty on six counts of breaching FAI Rules associated with match integrity. The player has the right of appeal under FAI Rule 158.

Following a two month detailed investigation involving UEFA, FIFA and An Garda Síochána, the FAI’s Disciplinary Regulations Officer brought a case against the player to the FAI Disciplinary Committee.

After hearing evidence from both sides, the FAI Disciplinary Committee found the Longford Town FC player had breached FAI Rules 95, 99.1, 102.1, 102.2a, 102.2e, 102.2f.

This decision has been made with reference to sporting rules and procedures only. Any other action which may be taken is a matter for statutory authorities."

**nigel-harps1954** · 11/06/2013, 6:40 PM

http://theloiblog.com/NewsStory.aspx?n=480

Full statement from the FAI on here. Crazy story that was never going to end well. Unfortunate for Longford Town.

**Mr A** · 11/06/2013, 6:47 PM

What are the odds on him finding a new club when the ban is up?

**Charlie Darwin** · 11/06/2013, 6:58 PM

Originally Posted by Mr A

What are the odds on him finding a new club when the ban is up?

I don't know but whatever it is I'm sure Collie wants a piece of it.

**Longfordian** · 11/06/2013, 7:13 PM

It's that time he spent with Shels that's corrupted him.

**PartySaint** · 11/06/2013, 7:14 PM

Originally Posted by Longfordian

It's that time he spent with Shels that's corrupted him.

Didn't they have a few questionable games when he was there?

**Town Legend** · 11/06/2013, 7:16 PM

It was well known with Longford fans that it was James. I was told he had the nerve to look for wages while this was on-going but the club told him to go and jump. The only positive is that it never affected our performances on the pitch.

**Longfordian** · 11/06/2013, 7:16 PM

I think they did yeah. I had heard we'd been paying the rotund **** to stay away for the past two months but I could be wrong.

**RonnieB** · 11/06/2013, 8:14 PM

Originally Posted by Longfordian

I think they did yeah. I had heard we'd been paying the rotund **** to stay away for the past two months but I could be wrong.

**** sake.

**MariborKev** · 11/06/2013, 8:46 PM

PFAI Twitter accounts strangely silent on this matter......

**De Town** · 11/06/2013, 8:47 PM

If we have been paying the little ****, surely we can claim it back off him after he was found guilty?

**Charlie Darwin** · 11/06/2013, 8:55 PM

Originally Posted by De Town

If we have been paying the little ****, surely we can claim it back off him after he was found guilty?

If you sued him I suppose. Might not be worth the hassle.

**Longfordian** · 11/06/2013, 8:59 PM

You could sue him for breach of contract alright but I could be wrong and he was suspended without pay. Would have thought that could be seen as prejudicing the investigation somewhat though. The club were, rightly, maintaining a pretty strict silence on the finer details.

**NeverFeltBetter** · 11/06/2013, 9:17 PM

I worry about how many others are or were on the take.

**osarusan** · 11/06/2013, 10:20 PM

That loiblog link doesn't work for me. What's the ban for?

**Charlie Darwin** · 11/06/2013, 10:24 PM

Originally Posted by osarusan

That loiblog link doesn't work for me. What's the ban for?

Compromising "match integrity," in other words he's been found guilty of some form of impropriety following the discovery of betting irregularities around Longford Town fixtures over the past year.

**Longfordian** · 11/06/2013, 10:34 PM

Originally Posted by Charlie Darwin

Compromising "match integrity," in other words he's been found guilty of some form of impropriety following the discovery of betting irregularities around Longford Town fixtures over the past year.

I think it's more attempting to influence future matches and not reporting an approach regarding this. I don't think there's any specific past matches involved in the investigation.

Specific rules outlined here

http://www.rte.ie/sport/soccer/irish...for-18-months/

**Charlie Darwin** · 11/06/2013, 10:52 PM

Yeah, I was careful not to accuse him of anything. If he was found guilty of actually influencing matches, he'd have been given a much heavier ban.

**Longfordian** · 11/06/2013, 11:01 PM

Originally Posted by Charlie Darwin

Yeah, I was careful not to accuse him of anything. If he was found guilty of actually influencing matches, he'd have been given a much heavier ban.

Yeah you're absolutely right but just to be clear for the record as it were, no betting irregularities surrounding Town games were identified or reported to the FAI by bookies. Just semantics but it's important from an LTFC point of view that it's clear that no matches were actually affected.