Highly-rated Blackpool forward Thomas Ince has been handed a two-game ban by the Football Association after making an offensive gesture to a match official during Monday's acrimonious defeat at Preston.
Ince, who has attracted interest from Liverpool and Cardiff this year, accepted the FA charge of "using an offensive and/or insulting and/or abusive gesture towards a match official" during the first half of Blackpool's 1-0 loss at local rivals Preston in the League Cup first round.
It means the Championship club will be without their star player for this Saturday's clash against Barnsley and the subsequent trip to Middlesbrough.
However, Ince, who is also carrying a minor groin injury, could feature for the England Under-21s against Scotland at Bramall Lane next Tuesday after he was named in the squad on Thursday.
Blackpool, managed by Ince's father Paul, were forced to flee the pitch a full-time after Preston fans ran on to celebrate the win and goad their rivals, while a steward was trampled on by a police horse in the chaos.
Source: AFP
