Who would have thought a remarkable FA Cup run would result in a club stalwart agreeing to quit in disgrace as a result of off-pitch events.
Sutton United goalkeeping coach and backup goalkeeper Wayne Shaw – in his third spell with the club – has agreed to step down after what will now forever be known as ‘pie-gate’ got him in potential trouble with the Gambling Commission.
Shaw was seen munching on a pie – or perhaps a pasty – towards the end of Sutton’s FA Cup fifth round defeat to Arsenal.
The issue at hand is that SunBets, Sutton’s shirt sponsors for the game, were offering odds on such an eventuality.
A Gambling Commission investigation is thought to be underway, with the commission keen to determine whether or not the incident constituted a breach of betting regulations, the BBC has reported.
Some have suggested there were bigger problems than Shaw’s antics alone.
https://twitter.com/RWhittall/status/834069171935776768
Guys like Wayne Shaw come and go. The pies, too. There's a deeper, wider entanglement.
— James Tyler (still) (@JamesTylerESPN) February 21, 2017
There was sympathy for the veteran.
Gutted to hear Wayne Shaw has resigned from Sutton. Feel he's been hung out to dry by the betting company involved. pic.twitter.com/jUZcagMLtj
— Chris Wheatley (@ChrisWheatley) February 21, 2017
https://twitter.com/Jimmy_Weeks/status/834069686937612289
But on the other hand…
All very well feeling sorry for Wayne Shaw, but the pasty patsy is a helluva nickname.
— Daniel Storey (@danielstorey85) February 21, 2017
There were puns.
Great day for Pie Sports News
— James Goldman (@James_Journo) February 21, 2017
And more puns.
this is our calcio-PIE-li scandal!
— Stan's Account (@tristandross) February 21, 2017
Then some more
Sutton have pied Wayne Shaw off then.
— Tim Stillman (@Stillmanator) February 21, 2017
But perhaps we were missing the real story here.
The real reason Sutton United asked for Wayne Shaw to resign pic.twitter.com/Je9D3bMBln
— Ben McAleer (@BenMcAleer1) February 21, 2017
‘Wayne Shaw has resigned from his role at Sutton United following the events of last evening and subsequent publicity,’ a Sutton United club statement reads.
‘He has said that he ‘fully understands the club’s position regarding this matter.’
‘We are naturally disappointed that Wayne’s time with us should end in this manner, and would like to thank him for his contribution to the club and wish him well for the future.’
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