STANLEY captain Peter Cavanagh has been banned from all football activities for eight months and fined £3,500.
The 27-year-old, who has been at the club nine years, was charged with breaching the Football Association's rules on betting.
Cavanagh was charged with putting a £5 accumulator on the Accrington Stanley v Bury match in May 2008.
Manager John Coleman said: "I am going to reserve comment until the inevitable appeal but all I can say is Peter has got my full support.
FULL STATEMENT:
"An independent Regulatory Commission hearing has announced its decision regarding charges against Accrington Stanley defender Peter Cavanagh.
"Cavanagh was charged with breaches of FA Rule E8(a) in that, whilst an Accrington Stanley player, he bet on the outcome of Accrington Stanley v Bury on 3 May 2008.
"The Regulatory Commission found the charges proven and Cavanagh was fined £3,500 and suspended immediately from all football and football activities for a period of eight months."
Regulatory Commission Chairman Nicholas Stewart QC made the following statement: “These were repeated deliberate breaches of The Football Association’s betting rules which are vital to maintain confidence in the integrity of the game. These are serious offences by a Club Captain and therefore must be punished by a substantial period of suspension of eight months together with a fine of £3,500.”
Full story in Friday's Observer
