Ben Thatcher was a man alone yesterday as his fellow professionals turned their backs on a player who had committed, in the football world at least, the most heinous crime of them all by hospitalising an opponent, Portsmouth's Pedro Mendes, with a vicious elbow during Wednesday's Premiership game at Eastlands.

Although anything often goes on a football pitch, elbowing an opponent is regarded as an act of thuggery, which is considered worse than being spat at by another player.

The image of Gary Mabbutt's shattered cheekbone, protected by a 'Phantom of the Opera' type mask following his clash with John Fashanu in 1993, has often been used to warn players of the dangers of using their elbows on a football field. But it seems Thatcher has not learned the lesson after a similar incident with Sunderland's Nicky Summerbee in 2000, for which he was given a two-match ban by the Football Association.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, Thatcher had few supporters within the game yesterday following his gruesome foul on Mendes, and even the PFA struggled to find words of comfort for the 30-year-old.

PFA chief executive Gordon Taylor said: "Any contact with an elbow to the head has got to be eradicated. It's not just football, it's the law of the land as well. The player could leave himself open to legal proceedings and players have a duty, which is a legal duty as well.

"The PFA have a duty to protect our members and discipline on the field is critical. What we want to eradicate is any reckless play that would endanger a fellow professional. I am sure he did not mean for the challenge to go the way it did, but it did go that way, so he has to look at his conduct."

Thatcher's elbowing of Summerbee six years ago left the Sunderland player out cold on the pitch, but condemnation on that occasion failed to remove the unsavoury side from the City defender's game.

Warren Barton, a former team-mate of Thatcher's, said: "He's done it in the past when he was at Wimbledon and he has got to stop it.

"There are times when players try to take the ball and the man, but the incident with Mendes wasn't one of them. Ben slid him and caught him. It was a naughty tackle and it's something he needs to get out of his game because he is a good player.

"He is actually a really nice guy and I always got on with him when we were team-mates at Wimbledon together, but he has gone over the top in that challenge and he knew what he was doing."

Perhaps the threat of legal action, rarely taken by professional footballers, may focus Thatcher's mind on his actions and their possible ramifications.

"The injured player can take civil action for carelessness or recklessness," claimed sports lawyer Mel Goldberg. "They can sue if the player did not take proper care and attention.

"It's a bit like driving around Trafalgar Square at 100 mph. You may not mean to cause harm but are likely to. It is the same with hammering someone with an elbow."

Telegraph

The F.A. are doing what they have never done before- reopened a case where a yellow card has already been issued by the referee. The tackle was so bad it has been widely condemned even by some of his won teammates and by his Manager, Stuart Pearce, who has already suspended him at club level.

Hi is likely to face a lengthy ban, some even suggesting he shouldn`t return to soccer until 2007.

LONDON (Reuters) - Manchester City defender Ben Thatcher has been handed an eight-match ban plus a 15-game suspended ban for his nasty foul on Plymouth's Pedro Mendes last month, the Football Association announced on Tuesday.

The eight-match suspension takes effect retroactively from August 26, three days after the incident when Thatcher crashed elbow first into the Portuguese midfielder as both players chased a ball over the touchline in a Premier League match.

The extra suspended ban on Thatcher, who had already been banned by his club for six games the week after the incident, can be activated at any time in the next two years if the player is found guilty of another serious foul.

The FA's Independent Disciplinary Commission took action despite Thatcher having been booked for the foul after studying television footage of the match, a 0-0 draw, in Manchester.

The FA said on its Web site: "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."

Thatcher's lawyer Rupert Bowers, quoted on Manchester City's Web site, said: "Mr Thatcher deeply regrets the incident. He accepted the punishment from his club; and that penalty has been increased by the FA today.

"Mr Thatcher similarly accepts the FA's decision without question. Today he again expresses his apologies to all concerned; he now wishes to serve his suspension, put the incident behind him and continue with his career."

A spokesman for City said: "We note the findings of the disciplinary committee and are pleased the FA have taken our own disciplinary action into account."

Thatcher had already apologised in writing to Mendes, who opted not to take any action personally after needing hospital treatment following the challenge which knocked him unconscious and caused him to suffer a seizure.

Reuters