AN amateur footballer who was left needing hospital treatment after an “out of the blue” assault has been left shocked after he was banned after the incident.
Bruce Poole, 31, was playing in Wormingford for Old Saints United during a Sunday league match when he alleges he was repeatedly punched by an opposition player.
However, Mr Poole was surprised to find out the Football Association had decided to ban him for this Sunday’s Essex Cup quarter-final, despite his claims he did nothing wrong.
The 31-year-old, who was playing as a striker, said 60 minutes into the match things had been relatively quiet, with Old Saints cruising at 2-0 up.
But after a goal was disallowed, Mr Poole says he exchanged words with an opposition player before heading towards the halfway line.
It was then where he alleges he was struck on the side of the head before being beaten while on the floor by his attacker as his four-year-old son watched on.
Mr Poole says he was then banned after the attack even though he had suffered injuries which needed hospital treatment.
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He needed five stitches to his mouth leaving him unable to eat for a week and having to take time off work.
Mr Poole said: “I can be gobby and get about, and if I had been like that and he whacked me then I would accept it.
“But I have been banned solely based on this person’s statement and my case hasn’t even been properly acknowledged.
“The FA has taken weeks to deal with this and it has been stressful. If someone is assaulted on a football pitch they should be banned straight away, not the victim.
“This isn’t about getting him in any more trouble; it’s about getting justice for myself as I’m being punished for this.
“If anyone says anything to me now I don’t reply and am hesitant to put tackles in in case it upsets them.
“If anything happens again I will think twice about reporting it, that’s how poor the FA have been in dealing with this.”
The FA has told the Gazette it is not in a position to comment while the decision is within an appeal period.
It added it does not condone any misconduct and the issue is being thoroughly investigated.
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