A UK football player has been banned from the sport for six years following evidence linking him to efforts to manipulate a novelty betting market with UK bookmakers.

On Monday, the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) revealed that information reported by one of its betting licensees had led the Football Association (FA) to issue a six-year ban against former Lincoln City FC defender Bradley Wood. The ban stemmed from 25 breaches of the FA’s Integrity and Betting Rules involving Lincoln City’s matches against Burnley and Ipswich Town FC during the 2017 FA Cup.

According to the formal investigation report, in both matches, Wood (pictured) was issued yellow cards for deliberate fouls very late in the proceedings (in the 90th minute of the Ipswitch match). The FA determined that Wood intentionally sought to be cautioned in order to influence betting markets on whether or not he’d receive a yellow card.

The UKGC forwarded the information it received from its licensee to the FA. The bettors apparently failed to grasp the concept of discretion, as of the seven individuals who placed wagers on Wood being cautioned in the two matches, none of them had previously wagered on any caution betting markets. In fact, four of the bettors were using their accounts for the very first time.