Charlton Athletic boss Ben Garner hit with two-game touchline ban

Ben Garner has been hit with a two-game touchline ban after he was sent off during Charlton Athletic’s 4-4 draw with Ipswich Town.

The Addicks boss was dismissed by referee John Smith during the second half but initially refused to leave the pitch.

The FA investigated the referee’s report from the match.

Garner will now be suspended from the dugout for this weekend’s away clash at Port Vale and Tuesday’s Round of 32 EFL Trophy tie away to Plymouth.

“It’s disappointing from my perspective,” said Garner. 

“I take responsibility for my actions once I’m sent off, and that’s effectively what I was being looked into for, but that doesn’t happen if the decisions beforehand haven’t happened.

“I was booked for nothing. The reason given in the statement was untrue, and the video evidence shows that.

“We did appeal the decision, but we just felt that there was probably no benefit to it. 

“So I have accepted the charge, and there is a fine, which is not an insignificant amount of money, especially with the current situation we find ourselves in this country.

“I do feel as though it is very harsh. Obviously, I have to accept the charge. 

“I have accepted the responsibility for my actions from the point that I was sent off, but I still maintain that I should not have been booked, I should not have been sent off, and I didn’t do anything wrong for the first yellow card – that has been proven.

“The statement that they put contradicts the video evidence, but there is nothing I can do about that.

“I’m hoping that gets looked into, the referee is assessed, and the officials on the day are assessed.

“The two-game touchline bans starts tomorrow.”

An FA statement said: “Charlton Athletic FC’s Ben Garner has been banned from the touchline for two-matches and fined £2,000 for a breach of FA rule E3 following their EFL League One game against Ipswich Town FC on Saturday 29 October 2022.

 “The manager admitted that his language and behaviour was improper in both the 53^rd minute and following his dismissal. An independent regulatory commission was convened and imposed the sanction.”

PHOTO: KYLE ANDREWS