Sutton have promised that reserve goalkeeper Wayne Shaw will be brought ‘back down to earth’ after he enjoyed five minutes of fame by eating a pie on the substitutes’ bench during Monday night’s glamour FA Cup tie against Arsenal.

The 46-year-old, known as the ‘roly-poly goalie’, pulled off the publicity stunt on behalf of a bookmaking company after all three substitutions had been made, but the actions of the 20st Shaw did not seem to impress the club’s hierarchy.

Speaking on BBC 5 Live, chairman Bruce Elliott said: “If you knew the roly poly goalkeeper you probably wouldn’t be very surprised. But Wayne is a top man.

“I didn’t know anything about it. He has got himself in the papers again and the fame obviously has gone to his head a little bit, but we will soon bring him back down to earth, don’t worry about that.”

A bookmaker had offered a price of 8/1 to Shaw eating a pie “live on air” during the match, but Shaw denied that he or any of his team-mates had placed a bet.

Speaking to the Independent, Shaw said: “A few of the lads said to me earlier on, ‘What is going on with the 8/1 about eating a pie?’ I said, ‘I don’t know, I’ve eaten nothing all day, so I might give it a go later on’.”

“As I say what is that? Sun Bets had us at 8/1 to eat a pie? I thought I would give them a bit of banter and let’s do it. All the subs were on and we were 2-0 down.”

Manager Paul Doswell, who also employs Shaw as part of his coaching team, said: “Wayne has become a global superstar on the back of being 20st. He’s made that a chance to get more media coverage off the back of it. It wouldn’t surprise me. I don’t think it shows us in the best light.”

Stand up and take a bow @suttonunited - lots of love in the papers today pic.twitter.com/9me50lrq6j

— Ian Abrahams (Moose) (@BroadcastMoose) February 21, 2017

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