Ipswich Town: Kitman James Pullen fined and given suspended ban from football by the FA having admitted placing 867 bets
A long-serving Ipswich Town kitman has been handed a suspended ban from football having admitted placing 867 bets on football matches over a six-year period.
James Pullen, 42, was charged with misconduct under FA Rule E1.2 on May 14 regarding 867 bets placed between March 30, 2018 and March 13, 2024, with each bet a separate breach of FA Rule E8 which prohibits anyone working for a club from betting on football.
Suffolk News’ media partners TWTD understand he has now left the Blues having initially been suspended.
After Pullen had pleaded guilty at a paper hearing via Microsoft Teams, an independent regulatory commission imposed a three-month suspension from all football and football-related activity, suspended in full until the end of the 2025/26 season, and a £750 fine.
Most of the bets were accumulators, including 120 of 126 involving Town.
None of the bets involving the Blues predicted a defeat, although three were on draws, something which was of concern to the commission and aggravated the offence, although considered at the lower end of the scale.
There was one spot bet involving Town, a £5 single losing bet on a Blues player scoring a hat-trick against Rochdale January 3, 2021.
Almost all the bets were small stakes with the total sum over the period £1,400.79 with the returns £792.67 and losses £608.12.
Pullen admitted wrongdoing at the earliest possible opportunity, accepted he had placed the bets, apologised and cooperated fully with the FA.
He was deemed to have shown genuine remorse and ceased his misconduct immediately, while the panel wasn’t aware of any previous breaches of the rules.
Pullen initially joined Town as a goalkeeper from Heybridge Swifts in September 1999 and went on to make two senior appearances.
He then had spells with Blackpool, Dagenham & Redbridge, Peterborough, Heybridge again, Hornchurch, Ebbsfleet, AFC Wimbledon and Chelmsford.
In June 2013, he returned to Town, initially as first-team masseur, before taking on the kitman role.
