PORT VALE striker Tom Pope has been handed a one-match ban for comparing a fan to a film character.
But the FA have still to decide on the potential five-match ban Pope faces for indulging in antisemitic tropes on social media after scoring against Manchester City earlier this month.
Tom Pope has been handed a one-match ban for insulting a fan on TwitterCredit: Dave Pinegar – The Sun
Pope, 34, who has already been charged twice by the FA for misconduct in his social media postings, became involved in a spat with a supporter last month.
In the Twitter post, now deleted, he compared the supporter to the character Sloth from the film The Goonies.
FA disciplinary beaks found Pope guilty of making abusive or insulting comments and found the denied misconduct charge proved.
Pope will miss Saturday’s trip to Swindon and was also fined £1,500. It was his second ban for social media use this season.
In November, he was banned for one game after a win over Crewe the previous month, in which he had hinted at the allegation of historic sexual abuse by the club’s coaching staff.
Pope wrote: “It’s nothing to be proud of beating up kids! In saying that the kids were happy with the beating instead of a fuc……[thumbs up emoji]”.
The FA had also fined him £2000 in June for Twitter comments about Mansfield chief executive Carolyn Radford.
Pope’s ban was imposed as part of an accumulation of offences.
But the FA are still investigating the striker’s comments in which he promoted antisemitic myths about the Rothschild family “owning the banking system”.
The Board of Deputies of British Jews condemned Pope for subscribing to “the notorious antisemitic conspiracy theory” and urged the FA “to send a clear message that the promotion of antisemitism will not be tolerated at any level of the game”.
A proven charge of an “aggravated” breach of regulations is likely to land Pope with a lengthy ban and could rule him out for a month of Vale’s season.
Pope compared a fan to Sloth from The GooniesCredit: Everett Collection – Rex Features
Tom Pope claims ‘nobody scores’ for Port Vale before scoring against Man City
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
