Prutton handed 10-match ban

Southampton midfielder David Prutton has been banned for 10 matches and fined £6,000 (€8,700) by the Football Association after admitting two charges of improper conduct.

The former Nottingham Forest player was sent off for two bookable offences against Arsenal last Saturday but it was his reaction to the dismissal which landed him with such a lengthy suspension.

He shoved match official Alan Wiley as he tried to confront the assistant referee.

He admitted a charge of failure to leave the field promptly and one of threatening words and/or behaviour towards a match official.

Prutton is eligible to play in the final match of the Barclays Premiership season against Manchester United because although there are only 10 league games to go, Saints will play at least one more FA Cup match - also against United.

The 23-year-old admitted the charges yesterday and apologised for his behaviour on Monday.

He said: “I was stupid. I should have known that but I could only see it when I saw the reaction of my family and friends afterwards. I’m not proud of it at all. I honestly don’t know what came over me. I’ve been booked and sent off before but this was one of those moments when you feel completely out of control.

“I’ve got to apologise now to the referee, the linesman definitely, the people sitting in the first few rows who must have heard what was said, and Robert Pires as well. Ideally, I’d like to write to all of them.

“With hindsight I should have kept my mouth shut and got down the tunnel, but it is a lot of heat-of-the-moment stuff.

“It is going to be a even more of a challenge. I will have to try to refocus having established myself back in the team under Harry Redknapp.

“I know what he thought of me. He said so. He said it was stupid and pretty mindless but I’ve got to show I can change and help the team in other ways.”

Prutton served the automatic one-match ban for the actual sending-off in last night’s FA Cup clash with Brentford.