Morrow: What really happened

The 25-year-old's season was brought to a premature halt last week following FIFA's ruling, after he was found to have made bets on a number of League of Ireland games in which he played.

However, the front man pointed out that he never backed against his former team-mates, while he was on the pitch and warned players up and down the country to check out FIFA's rule-book before placing another football bet.

"I made 17 bets over a period of a year and a half, 14 of those bets did not involve Derry City," said Morrow.

"I backed Derry City to win two matches I played in, against Shamrock Rovers and Cobh Ramblers; we beat Cobh 4-2 and lost 1-0 to Rovers, but the main game was the Galway United League Cup tie last season.

"My uncle rang me the day of the match and asked me to ring him back quick, because it was going to cost him a fortune, as he thought he was ringing me whenever I was in Galway. Anyway after I told him that I was up in the house in Derry and told him that he (Stephen Kenny) had taken a bunch of young boys down to Galway for the match, then my uncle was adamant that he wanted to bet Galway on my on-line betting account.

"I told him I didn't want to do that but he ended up backing Galway and that's the only time which my account was used to back against Derry City.

"In my defence, last season Derry didn't take the League Cup serious to any degree, it showed the seriousness whenever I and at least eight other players were sitting in our houses in Derry watching the score on the internet.

"I'm not trying to say what I did was right, but the bet wasn't mine, although it was my account, it was my uncle's bet; nevertheless I know it was wrong.

"At the end of the day it's still backing against your own team, but I never, ever, ever backed against Derry while I was either playing or on the substitutes bench or even part of the squad.

"The other bets were like maybe Bohemians away to Bray Wanderers and Cork City at home to Cobh Ramblers, ordinary coupon bets you would do on a Friday night, as everyone does.

"I have to say it was a shock whenever it all came out, because I never knew I was doing anything wrong at the time, especially whenever the FAI haven't sent a rule-book up to Derry City in the last ten years.

“Like me I think people involved in the game are naive about the rule and don't think know that they can't bet in their own league because if you do and you are caught, like me, then you are going to get a ban.

"I have been given a three month ban and a three month suspended sentence where I'm not allowed to gamble on football matches in that time and to be honest it's music to my ears, I haven't done a football bet in months."

The Limavady man, who has already donated his winnings to charity, wants to ensure Derry supporters and Coleraine fans that he's not a cheat.

"I know that I'm going to get stick from supporters and other people, but hopefully now with people knowing the truth they can maybe see where I'm coming from and I'm not painted as bad as what I have been over the last week," he said.

"I hold my hands up and I know now what I did was wrong, but at the time I didn't know I was doing wrong and I really, really, wish the Galway bet never happened but it did.

"I would also like to tell people I wasn't punished for match fixing, nothing like that, it was just because I was betting on League of Ireland football. Every time I pulled on a Derry shirt I gave my all and I tried to win the match.

"This has painted me in a bad picture but hopefully the truth will set the story straight.

"People who know me, know that I'm not a person who lies or cheats and to be tarred with that brush in the media was really disheartening. It was hard for my family to pick up a paper and read all the lies which were printed but hopefully now getting my own side of the story can help people realise what the truth is.

"All in all out of 17 bets over the year and a half ranged from 10 or 15 bets to maybe 300 or 400 bets and to be honest that was only once. I think I won 960 and lost 1,040 so I didn't make any profit from those 17 bets; nevertheless it has taught me a lesson and hopefully it teaches a lot of players a lesson to stay away from doing bets from the leagues you are playing in.

"I donated 1,000 to a charity, which I have been supporting the last three or four years, that helps children in Uganda, so my winnings will hopefully do some good."

The ex-Hibernian front man now wants to take his punishment and put the whole sorry mess behind him.

"This has been an obvious worry and I haven't been able to concentrate fully on my football and I have to say it has been a serious weight on my shoulders knowing that this investigation was going on in the background and then worrying what the verdict was going to be," admitted Morrow.

"To be honest whenever you look back I have done nothing which the average punter does not do themselves but I have been hung, drawn and quartered and I have now got a sentence which I think is a bit harsh, but at the end of the day I have to get on with it now.

"Although it's a three month suspension, I'm going to miss the last eight games of the season, which is disappointing and I feel now that a big weight has been lifted off my shoulders and I can't wait already for next season and getting back to my best, fit and worry free.

"I was informed at the end of the January that I was under investigation for match betting. It was passed onto FIFA because the FAI couldn't act on it as I was now out of their jurisdiction.

"I have spoken to Coleraine and they knew about the investigation before I signed for them but they obviously didn't know there was going to be an outcome like this and because of that I'm going to sit down with them over the next few days.

"At the end of the day it's effectively a six week ban, you could pull your hamstring and be out for six weeks, but at the end of the day it's bad press for the club and I'm really sorry about it, but there is nothing I can do because once it's done, it's done.

"I want to get back on the football pitch, with this elephant-like weight off my shoulders. I have only played four matches for Coleraine and although I had a really good game against Linfield, I haven't been at the races for them to a certain degree.

"Everything which has been going on off the field has been weighing me down and to be honest I was nearly at the point of breaking under the pressure.

"My appetite has gone and I have lost weight and it has been a really difficult time for me, my family and my girlfriend and anyone connected with me, because I haven't been the same person. However, I thought it would be best to come out and get my side of the story out and then put this whole episode to bed," he added.