At an Independent Disciplinary Commission hearing today, Manchester City's Ben Thatcher was suspended for eight matches starting on Saturday 26 August, with an additional suspended ban of 15 matches.

The suspended sanction may be activated in full or in part if Thatcher is found guilty of another serious proved case under FA Rules within the next two years.

Thatcher admitted a charge of serious foul play following an incident involving Portsmouth's Pedro Mendes during the match on Wednesday 23 August. He was booked at the time by referee Dermot Gallagher.

The incident was considered as an exceptional case because The FA contends that the challenge was sufficiently serious that had Thatcher been sent off, an additional sanction would have been merited.

There was no financial penalty imposed.