Sir Alex Ferguson has hit out after being handed a five-match touchline ban by the FA, saying that football is 'the only industry where you can't tell the truth'.
Ferguson learned of his punishment after a disciplinary hearing for comments made about referee Martin Atkinson following Manchester United's 2-1 defeat at Chelsea earlier this month.
The Old Trafford boss is clearly not happy but is yet to decide whether to appeal against his punishment. But he has vowed to defend himself strongly and the outcome was clearly a shock.
'It is disappointing,' he said. 'It is the only industry where you can't tell the truth. But it is in the past now.'
The FA got tough with Ferguson on Wednesday, hitting him with the ban and £30,000 fine for criticising Atkinson.
The punishment is a blow to United's Treble hopes, because Ferguson will be banished to the stands for four Barclays Premier League games and the FA Cup semi-final against Manchester City.
The Old Trafford boss is now weighing up his options over an appeal. However, he knows that is a gamble as, if he loses, he will be banned for an extra match - the potential title decider with Arsenal on Sunday, May 1.
Ferguson requested a personal hearing to fight a charge of improper conduct, but a four-man commission in Birmingham found him guilty and issued a three-game suspension. That also triggered a suspended two-match ban from 2009, for questioning the fitness of referee Alan Wiley.
Last night, Chelsea boss Carlo Ancelotti came out in support of Ferguson, saying: 'I think he has always had good behaviour. Five games out is too much.'
But the FA decided officials had been too frequent ly undermined, including Atkinson and former referees' chief Keith Hackett after an outburst in 2008.
There was no escape as Ferguson was handed the heaviest punishment of his career after criticising Atkinson over not giving Chelsea's David Luiz a second yellow for fouls on Javier Hernandez and Wayne Rooney as United lost 2-1 at Stamford Bridge on March 1.
Ferguson said: 'You want a fair referee, or a strong referee anyway, and we didn't get that. I must say, when I saw who the referee was I feared the worst.'
United will receive the judgment today and have until Monday to appeal.
The ban is due to begin on Tuesday, but if Ferguson accepts the commission's decision before tomorrow, the suspension could start with Saturday's home game against Bolton.
It would then take in Premier League games against West Ham, Fulham and Everton, and the Wembley clash with City, allowing him to return to the dug-out to face Arsenal and Chelsea.
If he loses an appeal, another loophole that could see him back for the visit to the Emirates is a re-arranged match with Newcastle on April 19 or 20. It is doubtful a challenge would be deemed frivolous and deserving of an additional ban, but it could waste valuable time.
Ferguson appeared with his legal advisers in Birmingham after signalling his intention to fight the charge in his programme notes for Saturday's FA Cup tie against Arsenal.
He wrote: 'I now face an FA charge for what, to my mind, was simply telling the truth. I won't be on the back foot when I put my case to the FA. I don't think sticking up for my team makes me a villain, especially when you consider that Manchester United have one of the best disciplinary records in the country.'
Arsene Wenger and Avram Grant are also facing disciplinary hearings.
The Arsenal boss will fight a European touchline ban today with evidence from four of his staff that referee Massimo Busacca inflamed the pair's Barcelona bust-up by being aggressive.
Wenger tried to dispute the decision to send off Robin van Persie for shooting after the whistle but ended up clashing with the official twice following Arsenal's 3-1 defeat. Busacca then reported Wenger and Samir Nasri for using 'inappropriate language'.
Nasri is likely to escape with a small fine.
The FA have charged Grant with improper conduct for his comments after West Ham's FA Cup defeat by Stoke. Grant said referee Mike Jones was 'weak' and favoured Stoke after giving them a soft penalty and failing to penalise their 'martial arts' defending.
P/S - Take time to rest Fergie..Let the rest solve by ur player..ngee...bye bye fergie...
Anyway, welcome to LUCAS PIAZON to chelsea...
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