LONDON (AP) – Preston midfielder Jordan Thompson was suspended for three games on Friday for kicking a water bottle and hitting a fan in the head during an English second-division game.
After being substituted in last Saturday’s 2-0 defeat to Norwich, the Northern Ireland international kicked a water bottle that fell to the ground and hit a Norwich fan sitting in the second row.
In a statement, the English Football Association said: “The midfielder’s actions around the 65th minute of the match were not seen by match officials at the time, but were captured on video, and the FA have since claimed that they constituted an act of violence.”
The FA said the disciplinary action denied by Thompson, 29, was proven at a hearing and the standard three-match ban for violent behavior was handed down.
The fan did not appear to be injured. Thompson then signaled to the fans.
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