Premiership: Smith ban stands

Leeds striker Alan Smith has lost his appeal against the four-match ban imposed after his sending off at Cardiff.

Smith was shown the red card in the 2-1 FA Cup third round defeat at Ninian Park after catching Cardiff’s Andy Legg with a flailing arm, although the City man later exonerated the England striker.

Leeds chairman Peter Ridsdale said: ‘‘We had a very fair hearing but they (the panel) have not changed their decision.’’

Smith had appealed to the Football Association’s video advisory panel, meeting in York, to have the ban overturned, claiming the contact with Legg was accidental.

Chairman Peter Ridsdale and secretary Ian Silvester were in York as Smith sought to explain away a sixth red card in his short career.

Leeds boss David O’Leary publicly backed his striker at the time, saying: ‘‘I thought Smith’s sending off was very very harsh.

‘‘His reputation seems to go before him - he was booked against West Ham the other night for a challenge that was nothing compared to tackles that had gone before.’’

Although Legg sustained a cut lip, the Bluebirds defender immediately vowed to help defend Smith, claiming there was ‘‘no malice or intent involved’’.

Three randomly selected members of the 12-strong panel reviewed a video of the incident on Tuesday night and granted Leeds the appeal they immediately requested.

Smith will now be out for the next five games and on the sidelines until March 3 as he also picked up his fifth booking of the season in the defeat at Newcastle on Saturday, incurring an automatic one-match ban.

He is also likely to miss England’s friendly with Holland next month as it is generally understood players serving domestic suspensions should not be made available for international duty.