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<H1></H1><P class=story_panel_text valign="top"><SPAN id=intelliTXT>The FA have hit Ben Thatcher with a massive eight-game suspension for his vicious attack on Portsmouth's Pedro Mendes at Eastlands last month.</SPAN>
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The 30-year-old Manchester City defender was only booked at the time by referee Dermot Gallagher, who failed to spot the Wales international smashing his forearm into Mendes' face as the pair chased for possession during the second half of the goalless Premiership draw.
Aware of the severity of the incident, the FA circumnavigated their own rules to lodge a charge of "serious foul play" against Thatcher.
The FA have now delivered their punishment which is backdated to include the two matches Thatcher has served of a club-imposed suspension, meaning the player will miss six more games.
In addition, the FA have also given Thatcher a 15-game ban, which will be suspended for two years and will be triggered should the defender ever find himself in a similar situation again.
The suspension takes into account two matches Thatcher has already missed as a result of City's own internal disciplinary enquiry.
The Blues had stated the former Leicester player would miss four games as punishment, with a further two suspended. Manager Stuart Pearce expressed a wish last Friday that the FA should merely confirm the punishment City had imposed and allow the player to get on with his career.
Instead, the FA have decided to clamp down hard on Thatcher, offering the player a clear warning about his future conduct.
Effectively, Thatcher will now not be available to play for City the end of October, which must place a question mark over the long-term City career of a player whose contract is due to expire in the summer.
Thatcher's representative gave a statement outside the FA's headquarters at Soho Square.
He said: "Mr Thatcher accepts the FA's decision without question. He now wishes to serve his suspension, put the incident behind him and get on with his career."
A City spokesman said: "We note the findings of the disciplinary committee and are pleased the FA have taken our own disciplinary action into account."</SPAN>
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The 30-year-old Manchester City defender was only booked at the time by referee Dermot Gallagher, who failed to spot the Wales international smashing his forearm into Mendes' face as the pair chased for possession during the second half of the goalless Premiership draw.
Aware of the severity of the incident, the FA circumnavigated their own rules to lodge a charge of "serious foul play" against Thatcher.
The FA have now delivered their punishment which is backdated to include the two matches Thatcher has served of a club-imposed suspension, meaning the player will miss six more games.
In addition, the FA have also given Thatcher a 15-game ban, which will be suspended for two years and will be triggered should the defender ever find himself in a similar situation again.
The suspension takes into account two matches Thatcher has already missed as a result of City's own internal disciplinary enquiry.
The Blues had stated the former Leicester player would miss four games as punishment, with a further two suspended. Manager Stuart Pearce expressed a wish last Friday that the FA should merely confirm the punishment City had imposed and allow the player to get on with his career.
Instead, the FA have decided to clamp down hard on Thatcher, offering the player a clear warning about his future conduct.
Effectively, Thatcher will now not be available to play for City the end of October, which must place a question mark over the long-term City career of a player whose contract is due to expire in the summer.
Thatcher's representative gave a statement outside the FA's headquarters at Soho Square.
He said: "Mr Thatcher accepts the FA's decision without question. He now wishes to serve his suspension, put the incident behind him and get on with his career."
A City spokesman said: "We note the findings of the disciplinary committee and are pleased the FA have taken our own disciplinary action into account."</SPAN>