Manager-less Leeds United promotion rivals lose staff member as 12-month ban reveals gambling offences

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Burnley, whom many consider Leeds United's foremost rivals for the Championship title during 2024/25, will be without first-team lead performance analyst Richard Bredice for at least the first half of the season.

The former Manchester City employee, currently with the Clarets, has been banned from all football-related activity for a year after he was found to have bet on matches whilst attached to the two clubs.

A Football Association spokesperson said: "Burnley’s lead first team performance analyst, Richard Bredice, has been fined £4,500 and suspended for 12 months from all football-related activity for misconduct in relation to betting."

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Bredice placed 456 bets between 1 November 2014 and 13 December 2022, which is in contravention of FA Rule 8, which prohibits club employees - known as 'Participants' - from engaging in gambling activity relating to football teams.

FA Rule 8 states: "A Participant shall not bet, either directly or indirectly, or instruct, permit, cause or enable any person to bet on – the result, progress, conduct or any other aspect of, or occurrence in, a football match or competition; or any other matter concerning or related to football anywhere in the world, including, for example and without limitation, the transfer of players, employment of managers, team selection of disciplinary matters."

Six months of Bredice's suspension is effective immediately, meaning Burnley will need to replace their lead first-team performance analyst until, at the very least, 3 January 2025. The other six months of his ban is suspended until the end of the 2025/26 season.

At the FA Independent Regulatory Commission hearing, Bredice was charged with 'Misconduct under FA Rule E1.2'.

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Of the 456 bets in question, 67 were in relation to clubs for whom Bredice was employed at the time the bet was placed. In total, Bredice profited by approximately £2,000 on 'own-club' bets, the Commission heard. Meanwhile, twelve bets were considered by the FA to be 'inside information breaches'.

Burnley are still without a manager following the departure of Vincent Kompany to Bayern Munich earlier this summer, but are understood to be close to an appointment with Scott Parker and Craig Bellamy in the frame to take over at Turf Moor.

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