Former Bulls defender Matt Clarke has quit as manager of Halesowen after the FA handed him a 12 month football ban for betting on games he was involved in.
Clarke, 36, has also received a £3,500 fine for his 25 breaches of FA rules. Assistant boss, and fellow ex-Bull Rob Elmes has said he will stay with the club. Yeltz captain Scott Rickards, who was also charged by the FA, was fined £2,500 and banned for six months - with £500 of the fine coming for not assisting in the investigation, while Howard Forinton was suspended for four months and fined £500. Clarke told the Birmingham Mail:
“I was naive and stupid. It wasn’t a betting scam, I placed bets on games which was wrong and stupid. As a result of the ban, I’ve handed in my resignation at Halesowen.
“I’m disappointed it has ended as it has but I have to accept my punishment. I can’t condone what I’ve done. I want to put it behind me and move on.”
A FA statement adds: 'The Commission also considered the mitigation in other areas submitted by the players, including the fact that the players were not expecting to play in the games on which they had placed a bet and also the fact they had not been paid by the Club for several weeks increased their financial pressures. '