Arbroath winger Gavin Swankie has been issued with a notice of complaint following nine alleged breaches of Scottish FA gambling regulations.
The charges span a period over the last decade, including the current campaign.
Swankie is charged with seven breaches of rule 31 which states: “No club, official, team official or other member of team staff, player, match official or other person under the jurisdiction of the Scottish FA shall gamble in any way on a football match.”
A further two historic violations of rules 22 (2012/13) and 33 (2013/14) are alleged, which also relate to betting on football.
A preliminary date of February 18 has been set for the Scottish FA hearing, which will take place over Zoom, as has become customary for disciplinary matters.
Should Swankie be found guilty, punishments range from a ‘lower end’ three-match ban to the ‘top end’ punishment of a 16-game suspension.
Swankie’s notice of complaint was one of FOURTEEN issued by the Scottish FA on Friday; all related to alleged gambling offences.
Newly appointed Morton manager Dougie Imrie, Cove Rangers assistant manager Gordon Young and five different Elgin players — Adrian Sopel, Conor O’Keefe, Darryl McHardy, Matthew Cooper and Thomas McHale — were among those charged.
Shane Sutherland (Inverness CT), Rabin Omar (Stirling Albion), James McGowan (Albion Rovers), Bryan Gilfillan (Threave Rovers), Ashley Ballam (Strathspey Thistle) and Robert Scott (Deveronvale) will also face hearings.
New deal
Swankie, 38, recently signed a new contract which keeps him at Gayfield until the end of the season.
He is currently in his 13th campaign with the Lichties, having made more than 200 appearances over four spells with his home-town club.
Swankie helped Arbroath win the old Division Three title in 2011 and lift the League 1 trophy in 2019.
However, the versatile forward has seen first-team opportunities limited for table-topping Arbroath this term, playing just nine times.
A favourite in Angus for many years, Swankie was a hero at Station Park during his five-year stint with Forfar Athletic. He has also turned out for Dundee and St Johnstone.
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