Redknapp: Prutton ban is a blow
Southampton boss Harry Redknapp acknowledges Saints will suffer without David Prutton.
The midfielder David Prutton was today banned for 10 matches and fined £6,000 (€8,700) by the Football Association after admitting two charges of improper conduct.
The former Nottingham Forest player was sent off for two bookable offences against Arsenal last Saturday but it was his reaction to the dismissal which landed him with such a lengthy suspension.
He shoved match official Alan Wiley as he tried to confront the assistant referee.
He admitted a charge of failure to leave the field promptly and one of threatening words and/or behaviour towards a match official.
Prutton is eligible to play in the final match of the Barclays Premiership season against Manchester United because, although there are only 10 league games to go, Saints will play at least one more FA Cup match – also against United.
And Redknapp told BBC Radio 5 Live: “We’ll obviously miss him – no-one gets more involved than Dave.
“He’s a really nice fellow, a great lad. He over-reacted to it – I don’t know it was because he was disappointed at letting his mates down.
“When he looked at the video he realised it was a bad tackle and he had to go - he had no grounds for arguing. He’s very sorry for the way he acted – but he’s got to move on.”
Redknapp added: “There’s nothing we can do about it. I can’t see any point in appealing – he’ll take his punishment. He didn’t set a good example but he’s played every game since I’ve been here. He’ll be a big loss but there’s nothing I can do.”
