Turner handed four-match ban

Sunderland defender loses appeal for Eastlands red card

Last updated: 22nd December 2009   Subscribe to RSS Feed

Turner handed four-match ban

Turner: Banned for four games

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Michael Turner been told he will serve a four-match ban for his red card against Manchester City last weekend.

The Sunderland centre-back was given his marching orders for using his arm in a challenge with Gareth Barry but chose to appeal as he thought referee Andre Marriner's punishment was too excessive.

But on Tuesday an FA independent regulatory commission dismissed the claim and added a game to the normal three-match suspension.

The ban takes immediate effect which means the 26-year-old will miss the Boxing Day clash with Everton.

An FA statement read: "Turner claimed that the standard punishment is clearly excessive, but this was rejected by the commission and the defender will now receive a four-match ban - increased by one game as the commission felt the claim had no prospect of success."

The FA also confirmed they had written to Black Cats manager Steve Bruce to request he explain comments made to the waiting media immediately after the match at the City of Manchester Stadium.

Bruce has until 31st December to respond.

Zenden in contention

In better news for the club though, Bolo Zenden will be fit to face the Toffees.

The 33-year-old had been struggling with a hamstring problem but Bruce revealed he would be in contention.

He told the club's official website: "Bolo has trained with us for the last two or three days and he is fine."

Comments (42)

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Nick Dale (Nottingham Forest fan) says...

All I can say is if that challenge deserves a four match ban, Then Chris Morgan's challenge on Ian Hume should have seen him Jailed, and then banned for life from football.

Posted 20:26 23rd December 2009

Rob Hadden (Sunderland fan) says...

it is ridiculous, who are these idiots looking at the evidence. Surely the two managers and two players involved should sit down with the four officials and talk about it. Any footballing person can clealy see turner went for the ball and only had eyes for the ball. if it is a sending off for a late challenge then surely any late challenge on the field of play should be a red aswell. i'm not saying thats right but it is the same thing. when footballers agree to play football they have to understand they could get hurt and a hard challenge is part of the game. highre people in the FA enforce these rules but how many actually understand football and how its played. after watching torres' elbow against portsmouth it was just as bad and maybe even worse than turner's and at least turner got the ball whereas torres didnt get near. the FA is a joke and how they cant see that it was unintentional and increase his ban is a JOKE.

Posted 15:55 23rd December 2009

Jayden Cromes (Sunderland fan) says...

Thats one of the most stupid decisions i have seen, not just the extention on the ban, the actual fact that he was send of it the first place. And if it was a different manager appealing like alex ferguson the ban would have never stood, Mariner should have been able to look back at the game and realise he made mistakes, this is what good referees can do. The fact that fifa support this confuses me, there was no intent, Fellaini for everton swings his arms like wild-fire every match he plays but nothing seems to get done.

Posted 15:29 23rd December 2009

Big Dave (Blackburn Rovers fan) says...

Although the comments defending the decision based on the laws of the game are valid, the nature of the decision comes into dispute bassed on the players intent. And I thing the majority agree that there was absolutely NO intent from turner to lead with his arm when jumping for the ball as his eyes are fixed on the ball the entire time. Maybe the referee made the right decision based on the laws, but Turner had an equal right to apppeal based on the lack of intent and for the FA to react as ignorantly dominant as they did is a clear step backwards for the development of modern football. The addition of an extra match ban is ludicrious and shows just how much the FA abuse their power.

Posted 14:50 23rd December 2009

Dan Prest (Sunderland fan) says...

Could I just ask what length ban Robert Huth got when he punched Matthew Upson in the face. Then compare that with Turners challenge and ask about consistency and why the FA are an absolute joke. Fellani split Lucas' head open the other day during a similar challenge, got away with it by the refferee and the FA. We need to get rid of these fat cats and get the likes of retired footballers and football pundits making these decisions.

Posted 13:36 23rd December 2009

Andy Mcgill (Sunderland fan) says...

This is a disgrace, the FA are a joke and are slowly losing any respect from people involved in the game and from the fans. No doubt if this had been Saint John Terry he would not have even been booked for the incident let alone sent off. Carry on disappointing us FA...next step, fail in your bid for 2018 as most of the World expects you to.

Posted 12:25 23rd December 2009

Peter Woodland (Sunderland fan) says...

The FA have proven themselves incapable of controlling the modern game - they have supported a poor, indeeed appalling, decision and then compound their action by behaving in a petty and vindictive way to slap down justified criticism of their actions - this is not the way for a modern organisation to behave - and their justification of their overreaction by saying their "time was being wasted" proves how small minded and Bureaucratic the FA's committee memberes are.

Posted 09:43 23rd December 2009

Mark S (Sunderland fan) says...

First, let me extend my personal thanks to all our fellow supporters from the other clubs for putting the good word forward with regards to Turners joke of a sending off. What about respect for our players and coaches from the FA more to the point the refs. This is making the game we love a laughing stock. But my gripe is Paul Robinson (Supposed Sunderland Fans remarks below. Call yourself red and white my friend!! Ok we get it you don¿t like the player but he came and signed for us because he wanted to sign and play for us its called commitment you wanna find a bit in yourself. Don¿t turn this into a personal which hunt.

Posted 09:00 23rd December 2009

Rob Speakman (Wigan Athletic fan) says...

A ridiculous decision; I'm all for longer bans (season long / even lifetime bans for players who deliberately set out to cause injury to other players) but this was clearly an honest attempt to win the ball. By all means give him a yellow card, as it was a little rash, but to extend the ban is as stupid a decision as to appoint Mariner (and quite a few of his colleagues, for that matter) to the Premiership in the first place.

Posted 08:28 23rd December 2009

Nick Coburn (Manchester United fan) says...

When Sir Alex, criticised mariner everyone got on his back, but he is right the standard of refereeing in this country is sliding downwards, and mariner is at the lower end. Was perhaps a bookable offence, yellow card, never a red. And to increase the ban to 4 matches is ludicrous. It is impossible to jump that high and to keep your arms down by your side. Te decisions of the referees and the FA become more preposterous each week

Posted 07:29 23rd December 2009

Joey K (Manchester City fan) says...

I was at the game & did'nt think it was a red card. Watched it on tele & knew I was right. If a player jumps he will lift his arms. Try to jump without doing so. He did not try to injure Barry & the ref should have the guts to say he was wrong. How many times have refs been wrong this season but no one in the FA will have the guts to say they were. Just look at Bellamy at Bolton. But the manager has to explain his comments. Do they & us fans not deserve an explanation.

Posted 04:03 23rd December 2009

Jamie Mccowan (Manchester City fan) says...

I'm sorry but this is an absolute joke of a decision. How can this be wasting the FA's time? It is clearly a justified appeal as anyone who knows anthing about football knows that this is not a red card. For the FA to increase the ban is a total joke. The FA are run by people who know nothing about football, steve bruce will be furious with this decision and has every right to be. Michael Turner is an honest pro and for him to be given a 4 match ban is unbelievable.

Posted 03:27 23rd December 2009

Nigel Warburton (Manchester United fan) says...

the FA are making it harder and harder for the respect campaign to have respect with decisions like that Every manager of every team are on the wrong side of bad decisions at the moment because of bad refereeing decisions The FA are choosing to ignore the problem of inconsistent referees by enlarge which is why so many managers are losing respect for the respect campaign. As an example, how was Torres challenge against Portsmouth any different to Turners? Yet both had totally different reactions from the referees

Posted 02:09 23rd December 2009

Ken Wharton (Leeds United fan) says...

Sunder land fans behave! Your player led with his elbow and the laws (note, please, NOT rules!) state that that is dangerous play. Buy the law book and, those of you who can read, check the wording of the law on dangerous play. The red card was automatic and because of the spurious nature of his complaint, he gets another one match added. Poetic justice; he could have blinded the other player or fractured his eye socket. Grow up, Sunderland fans. If you play big boys' games, it's big boy's rules.

Posted 02:00 23rd December 2009

Hat-trick Swayze (Manchester United fan) says...

You have to appreciate the irony that Turner will miss the Everton game for a rare and unintentional elbow, but Maroune 'elbows chunks out of peoples faces' Fellaini, gets off scot free pretty much every time. The F.A's consistency is dreadful. It seems like they pick a random incident here and there so they can stamp their feet and prove they are actually watching any games.

Posted 01:18 23rd December 2009

Steve Mixsell (Sunderland fan) says...

No way was it a sending off offence, and now the FA increase the ban? It's incredible how some players and clubs get persistently screwed by officials and the FA while other's get their butts kissed. I have never seen anything like it. I love the Premiership but this type of BLATANT unfairness makes me want to stop watching. Get your act together FA!!!!!

Posted 00:49 23rd December 2009

Matthew Darling (Sunderland fan) says...

I am glad that Man City fans are in agreement that the decision was a joke. I have alot of friends who are Newcastle fans that have said that they havn't seen such a poor decision is a long time! Andre Marriner is a PROVEN bad referee. He has regularly made wrong decisions, yet he is still making a triple figure annual salary! I don't see how the "fat cats" at the FA can promote such schemes as "respect for referees" when there are 2 or 3 Barclays Premier League refs making regular mistakes! The whole thing is a joke. Michael Turner is a fair player, who would not purposely go into a challenge to hurt another fellow pro. Totally absurd!

Posted 00:48 23rd December 2009

Liam Carlin (Manchester United fan) says...

never a sending off, and if Michael Turner gets a four match ban for a challenge that wasnt even intent, then Mascherano deserves a more severe punishment for the challenge on ben-haim which was far worse an could have put him out for a while, wheres the justice in that?

Posted 00:27 23rd December 2009

Gavin Callaghan (Sunderland fan) says...

Does it not just go to show how pathetic the Respect campaign is, and how one-way it was intended to be. Everyone watching, fans, ex-players, ex-referees, everyone, all concluded Marriner was dyer on Saturday, as he has been in most of his games this year, so why do the FA show clubs managers and fans so little respect in rewarding Marriner with a game at Anfield on Boxing Day? The respect campaign is a shame that is essentially another layer of unaccountabilitywrapped around a referee from Keith HAckett. I notice the FA are quick to start sending out letters to Steve Bruce when they want something but when letters go the other way from Bruce to the FA requesting confirmation for Marriner's inaccurate applications of the laws of the game, Bruce is awaiting a reply for 2 months. Referees in this country and the circle of alter egos that protect them are a disgrace!

Posted 23:52 22nd December 2009

Eric Curry (Manchester United fan) says...

Terrible decision by the referee it was a clumsy challenge at best, only meriting a yellow. It definitely was not dangerous enough to be considered to be a red card offense. Very poor refereeing and i completely agree with John Hoskins: John Hoskins (Southampton fan) says... If it would have been john terry it would have been dropped When you think about both Turner and Mascherano both get sent off and receive 4 match bans (ignoring the fact it was a 3+1 ban for a frivolous appeal it still ended up being 4 match ban!), the difference between the two tackles is enormous and shows the complete inconsistencies in the disciplinary procedures in the EPL I would love to hear Gareth Barry's opinion on the foul, i would bet he would disagree with the sending off, as would any honest football fan at roker park. Poor decision for me, don't worry though Sunderland fans it will even itself out in the end.

Posted 23:16 22nd December 2009
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