Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson accepts five-match ban with parting shot at Football Association

Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson accepts five-match ban with parting shot at Football Association

Sir Alex Ferguson had a parting shot at the Football Association after accepting his five-game touchline ban for criticising referee Martin Atkinson, which will begin against Bolton Wanderers at Old Trafford on Saturday.

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By Mark Ogden 6:50AM GMT 18 Mar 2011

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The Manchester United manager, who will watch his horse, What A Friend, race for the Gold Cup at Cheltenham on Friday, had considered appealing against the ban, and £30,000 fine, imposed by an FA regulatory commission on Wednesday.

However, following talks with United chief executive David Gill and the club's legal advisers, Ferguson decided not to appeal, to avoid the possibility of having his ban extended beyond the Premier League trip to Arsenal on May 1.

Ferguson, who was charged with improper conduct for casting doubt on Atkinson's integrity by calling for a "fair referee" following the 2-1 defeat at Chelsea earlier this month – a match United were winning 1-0 but lost to a controversial penalty from Frank Lampard – remains unrepentant about his actions, however.

Ferguson described the punishment as "disappointing", adding that football "is the only industry you can't tell the truth in. So anyway, it's in the past, they [FA] are not worth it".

By accepting his punishment, Ferguson will also be banned from the touchline for next month's Premier League games against West Ham, Fulham and Everton, plus the FA Cup semi-final against Manchester City at Wembley on April 16/17.

Ferguson will be free to return to the dugout for the Old Trafford clash with Everton on April 23, however, if United's trip to Newcastle, originally scheduled for semi-final weekend, is rearranged for April 19/20.

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