Tuesday Sep 12 2006 18:12
Manchester City defender Ben Thatcher has been handed an eight-game suspension by the Football Association for his clash with
Portsmouth's Pedro Mendes.
Left-back Thatcher had already been handed a four-game ban by the Citizens for elbowing Mendes in the head during the goalless draw at Eastlands on August 23.
However, the FA have now added a further four games, with a suspended 15-game ban also hanging over Thatcher's heads.
An FA statement read: "At an Independent Disciplinary Commission hearing, Manchester City's Ben Thatcher was suspended for eight matches starting on Saturday 26 August, with an additional suspended ban of 15 matches.
"The suspended sanction may be activated in full or in part if Thatcher is found guilty of another serious proved case under FA Rules within the next two years.
"Thatcher admitted a charge of serious foul play following an incident involving Portsmouth's Pedro Mendes during the match on Wednesday 23 August. He was booked at the time by referee Dermot Gallagher.
"The incident was considered as an exceptional case because the FA contends that the challenge was sufficiently serious that had Thatcher been sent off, an additional sanction would have been merited."
Meanwhile, City have appealed against midfielder Ousmane Dabo's sending-off in the 1-0 defeat at Reading on Monday night.
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