Crusaders star handed lengthy suspension after red card appeal rejected
Crusaders star Finley Thorndike has been handed a lengthy suspension after his appeal over a red card shown during a Premiership defeat to Larne was rejected.
Earlier this month, former Glentoran playmaker Thorndike was sent off by referee Declan Hassan shortly after coming on as a substitute.
The decision initially caused confusion at Inver Park with many unaware of why Thorndike had been given his marching orders, but during Gary Haveron’s post-match interview, Larne’s interim chief said the 23-year-old had spat at experienced midfielder Mark Randall.
"The sending off hurts them, of course it does,” Haveron told Larne’s media channel at the time. "The boy Thorndike has to learn the hard way from that.
"You can’t spit at people, that’s what the sending off was for...you just can’t do that, spitting in somebody’s direction, it was poor from him and he will be punished accordingly.”
In an Irish FA suspension list, it listed Thorndike’s dismissal for “biting or spitting at an opponent or any other person” with a seven-game suspension subject to a disciplinary challenge.
That has now been rejected with a Crusaders spokesperson telling BBC Sport NI: "We appealed the on-field decision and the disciplinary committee rejected it after investigation and the original decision stood.”
Thorndike, who previously spent time with West Brom, Aston Villa and Birmingham City, served the first match on Saturday as his side defeated Glenavon 2-0 at Mourneview Park.