The managing director of the agency instrumental in Marcus Rashford’s development into a campaigning and cultural icon has left the company after being banned by the FA for an illegal approach to a youth-team player.
Sportsmail has learned that Sam Stapleton was charged with breaching FA Rule E1(b) last year after being accused of seeking to represent a 16-year-old at Manchester City’s academy without gaining permission from his parents.
Stapleton was given a six-week ban from working as an agent after being found guilty of a ‘serious safeguarding breach’ by an FA tribunal, which was reduced to two weeks on appeal, after which he left his role at Roc Nation Sports.