A midfielder for League Two club Tranmere Rovers has been given a 13-match ban for the use of a homophobic slur, the longest sanction ever issued for such an incident in professional English football.
Sam Finley, 32, has also been issued a £2,000 ($2,660) fine and been ordered to undergo a face-to-face FA education programme following an investigation by an independent regulatory committee. It is his third “aggravated breach” and his second offence of using “abusive and/or insulting and/or improper” language regarding “sexual orientation”.
The offence occurred in the 23rd minute of Tranmere’s 5-1 defeat to Walsall on January 11. Finley admitted to referee Jeremy Simpson after the match that he called Walsall striker Jamille Matt “a big f—–“.
Matt said in a witness statement he and Finley had been trading insults following a free kick which was awarded to Walsall in the 23rd minute. Matt immediately notified the referee, who said Finley apologised for the language used after the match. The midfielder was separately sent off for a second booking on 38 minutes.
Finley’s ban was confirmed by the English FA on Friday, who also published a report from an independent committee which had examined the case and imposed the sanction. The commission noted in its report that Finley had previously undergone “specific training in respect of that word”.
Walsall’s Matt was abused by Finley during their encounter earlier this year (Pete Norton/Getty Images)
The Englishman attended the FA’s face-to-face education programme after being given an eight-match ban for telling an opponent “f— off you p—- c—” while playing for Accrington Stanley in 2020, while in his first aggravated breach, he was given a four-match ban for calling a referee a “f—— f—–” while playing for AFC Fylde against Lowestoft Town in 2016.
The committee acknowledged Finley “sought outside assistance with anger management issues,” which was “already having a positive impact upon him,” evident by a reduced yellow card tally this season. He has been booked nine times in 33 league matches.
The report said the FA argued for a “six-month minimum” ban to be issued to Finley, but the committee ruled against that due to the “risk of inconsistency when applying time-based suspensions upon players,” with just two matches of the season remaining before a three-month off-season break.
The 13-match ban was issued due to Finley’s previous disciplinary record, but it stands as the longest issued to a player in England’s top four divisions over a breach which concerns reference to sexual orientation.
Morecambe midfielder Yann Songo’o received a six-match ban over homophobic comments he made in 2021, while former Walsall defender Manny Monthe was issued a seven-match ban for a similar offence in December of the same year.
In a statement on their website, Tranmere said: “The club condemns all forms of discrimination and will deal with the matter internally. The club will make no further comment at this time.”
Tranmere are 22nd in the League Two table, four points above 23rd-placed Carlisle, who are managed by Mark Hughes and occupy one of two relegation spots.
(Top photo: Lewis Storey/Getty Images)