The Sutton United reserve goalkeeper who went viral after munching on a pie on live TV has been asked to resign amid betting allegations.
Wayne Shaw came close to breaking the internet as a result of his touchline pie-chomping during the non-league club’s FA Cup defeat to Arsenal on Monday night.
Shaw tweeted how it was, in fact, a pasty.
But the comic episode took a darker turn when it emerged the 46-year-old was taking part in a publicity stunt for a betting company who offered odds on Shaw eating a pie during the match. The incident was dubbed #piegate.
The Football Association and Gambling Commission have launched investigations, but the club today moved to make clear Shaw had accepted the club’s request for him to resign. In a statement, the club said:
“Wayne Shaw has resigned from his role at Sutton United following the events of last evening and subsequent publicity. He has said that he ‘fully understands the club’s position regarding this matter’.
“We are naturally disappointed that Wayne’s time with us should end in this manner, and would like to thank him for his contribution to the club and wish him well for the future.”
Bur Shaw had support from one of the most prominent names in football.
And Piers Morgan was of a similar mind.
As well as being Sutton United’s substitute goalkeeper, Shaw is the club’s goalkeeping coach and takes on multiple odd-jobs in between - from caretaker of their plastic pitch to live-in community liaison officer.
Shaw has severed all ties with Sutton, the club confirmed, meaning he will no longer stay at the Gander Green Lane ground where he was sleeping some nights to help prepare for match days.