Tuesday 10 September 2019 12:43, UK
Leeds midfielder Jordan Stevens has been suspended from all footballing activity for six weeks after being found guilty of breaching FA betting regulations.
The charges alleged that Stevens placed 59 bets on football matches between August 6, 2018, and May 27, 2019.
The 19-year-old, who made one Sky Bet Championship appearance for Leeds last season, admitted a misconduct charge in relation to the FA's Betting Rules and was also fined £1,200.
Stevens signed for Leeds from Forest Green Rovers in January 2018 and has under a year remaining on his current deal at Elland Road.
He featured during pre-season for Marcelo Bielsa's side but is yet to make an appearance for the Whites this season.
A statement from the club read: "We acknowledge the sanctions passed down by the FA to Jordan Stevens following a breach of betting regulations.
"We will support Jordan through this process, he is a young footballer who needs educating on the dangers of outside influences and how to conduct himself as a professional footballer.
"As a club we feel that banning a 19-year-old footballer from even participating in training or interacting with the club's staff is an excessive punishment."
Leeds' chief executive Angus Kinnear said: "Whilst we fully recognise the importance of the FA's role in protecting the integrity of the game, we are hugely disappointed in the FA's choice of sanction.
"To prevent a young footballer from taking part in any football activities at such a critical period of his career is a disproportionate punishment following a foolish mistake from a young player.
"We are particularly disappointed that the sanction was determined by two former professional footballers who we hoped would have had a better understanding of the impact of their decision."
