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Manchester City Acts on Thatcher

Manchester City decided to handle rough players ? with a hard hand. Ben Thatcher following his challenge on Pedro Mendes, Portsmouth`s midfielder, will be out of the field for six weeks. Man City will impose a six-week ban over the player, and execute a six-week wages fine over his salary. Thatcher will be able to resume play only on September 23, and will surely miss the league trips to Reading and Blackburn. Thatcher will also miss the Carling Cup match against Chesterfield.

This is not Thatcher`s first incident, and he has two wages already suspended for previous incidents, including his challenge when he pushed Mendes crashing into the advertising boards with his elbow. Although Man City chief executive, Alistair Mackintosh, said on the club`s website that they felt an immediate action is needed in the spirit of the club, and `football in general`, there might be another motive for the swift decision.

The fact that the club is handling the former Tottenham defender harshly, might cause the Football association to drop any further actions against him, and against the club as well. Stuart Pearce, the club`s manager, said he is hoping that neither the police or the Crown Prosecution Service will view the incident as one that needs addressing.