Reading chief BANNED and slapped with fine by FA after admitting to placing 95 bets on football matches

READING chief Mark Bowen has been suspended and fined by the FA for betting breaches.

The 60-year-old, who was the Royals’ head coach between October 2019 and August 2020, has admitted to placing 95 bets on football matches.

Mark Bowen has been hit with a suspension and fine for betting breachesGetty

These took place between April 19 2022 and January 14 2024.

None of the wagers were on games involving Reading.

An independent commission imposed a 12-week suspension on July 17, but they have suspended eight of those weeks until the end of the 2025/26 campaign.

Bowen, who was charged back in May, has also been slapped with a £7,000 fine.

An FA statement read: “Reading’s Head of Football Operations has been suspended and fined for misconduct in relation to The FA’s Betting Rules.

“Mark Bowen admitted that he placed 95 bets on football matches, which were unrelated to Reading, between 19 April 2022 and 14 January 2024.

“An independent Regulatory Commission imposed a 12-week suspension on 17 July 2024, eight weeks of which are suspended until the end of the 2025/26 season, and a £7,000 fine during a hearing.”

Bowen featured for clubs such as Tottenham, West Ham and Charlton during his 17-year playing career.

His charge is the latest in a string of disasters for Reading, who have been deducted a staggering 18 points under the ownership of Dai Yongge for a failure to pay staff and HMRC.

They were relegated from the Championship in 2023 and finished 17th in League One last season.

They kicked off the 2024/25 campaign with a 1-1 draw at Birmingham on Saturday.

Ruben Selles’ men were then knocked out of the Carabao Cup on penalties on Tuesday, losing to fourth-tier Colchester on penalties.