Brentford striker Ivan Toney considers eight-month betting ban to be ‘spiteful’ but is already targeting 2026 World Cup with England

• Bees forward broke FA rules
• Out of action until 2024
• Intends to bounce back stronger

WHAT HAPPENED? The 27-year-old frontman, who reached the 20-goal mark for the Bees in 2022-23, was handed a lengthy suspension and a £50,000 fine after admitting to 232 breaches of regulations relating to gambling by active players. Toney was found to have bet on matches that he played in, with an initial FA charge from back in November 2022 contributing towards him missing out on a place in England’s squad for the World Cup finals in Qatar.

WHAT THEY SAID: Toney has now spoken out on the past, present and future, telling the Kick Game YouTube channel: “People try to break people down. How it come out, just before the England camp, obviously missing out on the World Cup... In a way, it was kind of like: 'get out now so you don't go [away with] England'. And then all of a sudden they want to wait until the end of the season... But it is what it is. They wanted to do it that way. I call it a bit spiteful. You just have to get on with it. I feel that was a bigger punishment, even though I am missing eight months of football. That was a bigger punishment, missing out on the World Cup. It's everybody's dream. I believe in myself and hopefully I can be at the next one.”

THE BIGGER PICTURE: Toney is not eligible to represent Brentford again until January 16, 2024, but he can return to training during the final four months of his ban – from September 17 – and he is determined to bounce back even stronger. He added: “The support is good, but how I am, I don't want anyone to feel sorry for me. I done what I done before, the punishment is the punishment and get on with it. Like I said I just have to focus on when I come back training. I want to be a different animal when I come back. It's going to be frightening.”

IN TWO PHOTOS:

Getty

Getty Images

WHAT NEXT? Brentford have vowed to stick by Toney, who had been generating transfer talk heading towards the summer transfer window, while the man himself has promised to delve even deeper into his unfortunate betting ban saga when the time is right to do so.