Search Icon

Birmingham City's Lee Bowyer handed three-match ban for violent conduct in game against Arsenal

Birmingham City have suffered a serious blow ahead of their Premier League fixture at Blackpool this evening, Lee Bowyer having been suspended for three games after accepting a charge of violent conduct following the game against Arsenal at St. Andrew’s at the weekend.

Birmingham manager Alex McLeish accuses FA of picking on smaller club
In the spotlight: Lee Bowyer's alleged stamp on Bacary Sagna was highlighted by TV replays

Although Peter Walton did not see the midfielder stamp on Bacary Sagna as the Arsenal defender lay on the ground in the second half of Birmingham City’s 3-0 defeat on Saturday, the match referee confirmed to the Football Association that had he seen the incident he would certainly have sent Bowyer off.

The FA have therefore decided to punish Bowyer, 34 yesterday, retrospectively – a course of action made possible because the referee did not see the original incident – and he will now miss tonight’s League fixture at Blackpool, the FA Cup trip to Millwall on Saturday and next Tuesday’s Carling Cup semi-final first leg at West Ham.

Bowyer has struggled with his behaviour throughout his career, his on-pitch brawl with Newcastle team-mate Kieron Dyer the most infamous of a number of incidents of violent conduct, but he has become an integral part of Alex McLeish’s midfield.

With Birmingham second from bottom, one point ahead of Wolverhampton Wanderers, his presence will certainly be missed.

McLeish said: “We accept the decision and will now have to move forward into the next three games without the services of Bowyer.

"We have got a good discipline record at this club and stress to the players every week how important discipline is.”