Ivan Toney scores to help Brentford to victory in first game back after eight-month betting ban
Brentford star Ivan Toney scored on his return to the Premier League after serving an eight-month ban for breaking FA betting rules.
The striker, 27, took just 19 minutes to find the net with a low free-kick past Nottingham Forest goalkeeper Matt Turner.
He held up a Brentford shirt printed with the words "For you Uncle Brian" after celebrating with teammates and Brentford staff on the touchline.
The goal cancelled out Forest midfielder Danilo's third-minute volley, with Brentford eventually winning 3-2 after second-half goals from Ben Mee and Neal Maupay.
It came 260 days after Toney's last Premier League appearance, against Liverpool in May last year.
Toney was handed an eight-month ban and fined £50,000 after admitting 232 breaches of FA betting rules between February 2017 and January 2021.
He had been allowed to train with team-mates since September, and earlier this month scored a hat-trick while playing for Brentford's B team against Southampton under-23s,
Initially, Toney was charged with 262 breaches of FA rule E8, but the FA subsequently withdrew 30 of these breaches.
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Rule E8 of the FA states that a participant "shall not bet, either directly or indirectly, or instruct, permit, cause or enable any person to bet on" matches they are involved in or have influence on.
Players, managers, coaches, club staff, directors and licensed agents involved in football globally are banned from betting within the Premier League, EFL, National League, Women's Super League, Women's Championship and the Northern, Southern and Isthmian leagues.
The ban also includes betting on any other football-related matter such as the transfer of players, managerial appointments or team selection.
