Carr receives ban for offensive gesture

Posted Friday, April 30, 2010 by theguardian.com

Birmingham's Stephen Carr handed one-match ban for offensive gesture

Birmingham City's Stephen Carr makes a gesture towards the Aston Villa fans during Sunday's volatile derby.

The Birmingham defender Stephen Carr has been given a one-game ban after accepting a Football Association charge of improper conduct following an incident during Sunday's fiery derby defeat at Aston Villa.

Carr is alleged to have made an offensive gesture to Villa fans at the end of the match which Villa won 1-0 thanks to a late, controversial James Milner penalty.

West Midlands police are also expected to question Carr over the incident.

Carr, who requested a personal hearing to explain his version of events, will sit out Saturday's Premier League game against Burnley at St Andrew's.

Birmingham were also charged on Tuesday with failing to control their players after the referee, Martin Atkinson, awarded the spot-kick when Roger Johnson was adjudged to have fouled Villa's Gabriel Agbonlahor. Birmingham have until 13 May to respond.

Johnson has been asked by the FA to explain his claim afterwards that Atkinson was "a disgrace".

TV replays showed the defender had got a slight touch on the ball and Johnson said: "The referee was a disgrace. He's ruined the match and clearly shouldn't be doing these kind of games – it was too big for him."

Meanwhile, Alex McLeish is ready to commit his future to Birmingham after insisting his relationship with owner Carson Yeung and his advisors is "excellent". McLeish's advisors have already opened talks with Blues over a new deal for the former Scotland and Rangers manager.

They are expected to continue in the next couple of weeks but McLeish has made it clear he sees more than his immediate future being with City. And he intimated that he would happy to sign a rolling contract with the Midlands club.

McLeish said: "Talks have already started a few weeks ago and it is just about me getting my advisors in to see [the vice-chairman] Peter Pannu and then hopefully Carson as well.

"I'm sure that will happen in the next couple of weeks. I'm told it has been said I've agreed a three-year contract. I don't know where that came from. I've not agreed anything yet but I'm willing to agree a contract once we start talking.

"We've never discussed the term but normal contracts over the years have generally been rolling contracts and that tends to suit all parties involved. People outside seem to be more anxious about getting it done. The club and I are relaxed about it.