NINE MONTHS?! Ref chief demands 'Cantona-type ban' for Fulham striker Mitrovic

The head of the Referees' Association Paul Field is demanding an Eric Cantona-type suspension for Fulham striker Aleksandar Mitrovic.

The Serbian has been charged with violent and improper conduct after a straight red card for pushing referee Chris Kavanagh during Sunday's 3-1 FA Cup quarter-final defeat at Manchester United.

Paolo di Canio was banned for 11 games in 1998 for shoving referee Paul Alcock when playing in a Premier League game for Sheffield Wednesday against Arsenal.

Field said Mitrovic should serve longer for pushing a referee - and even face carrying out community work.

"I hope it's more than 10 games," said Field, who hoped the FA would consider a punishment similar to the nine-month ban Manchester United's Eric Cantona received in 1995 for an attack on a fan at Crystal Palace.

He told BBC 5 live: "Why couldn't he go down to some of the pitches down in London?

"Turn up - there's no car parking space, there's no changing room, there's a cold cup of tea, it's pouring down with rain, the pitches are in poor condition, every player is looking to pull one over on you. And, with all of that, you get abused by the parents. So why not do that for six months?

"At an amateur level, a player is looking at about a year's ban - why doesn't that carry through to the professional game?

"Think about what Eric Cantona did nearly 30 years ago and he got nine months. I think they should put a really decent time on this."