Thatcher banned for a game by City
Friday, 25 August 2006 18:15Ben Thatcher has been suspended by Manchester City and charged with serious foul play by the Football Association as the full horror of his challenge on Pedro Mendes begins to sink in.
The former Welsh international met manager Stuart Pearce at City's Carrington training ground this morning and was told he would not feature against Arsenal tomorrow as a direct result of his elbows-first tackle on Mendes which saw the Portsmouth player spend Wednesday night in hospital.
Thatcher is said to be in full agreement of the internal punishment, which is also likely to extend to two weeks wages and has been ratified by City chairman John Wardle, who also met with Pearce this morning.
'Manchester City can confirm that Ben Thatcher has been suspended from first-team action pending the results of the club's internal investigation into the incident involving Pedro Mendes during the game with Portsmouth on Wednesday,' said a City statement.
'The player will miss tomorrow's home fixture with Arsenal. Ben Thatcher fully agrees with this decision.'
Blues officials have been embarrassed at the negative publicity Thatcher's disgraceful lunge has brought to the club.
