Football: City boss Gray has six-game ban reduced on appeal

Newry City AFC Manager Barry Gray has had his six-match ban for comments made about match officials reduced on appeal.

Gray had initially been handed the six-game ban and City fined £1000 - the maximum punishment available - following post-match remarks made in the media following Newry's 2-1 Sports Direct Premiership defeat at home to Cliftonville on Saturday January 13th.

That game saw Cliftonville's Jonny Addis score the winner for the visitors deep into stoppage time at the end of the game.

A statement from the Irish Football Association's Disciplinary Committee read: "On Wednesday evening the Irish Football Association’s Disciplinary Committee considered a Newry City AFC challenge on behalf of first team manager Barry Gray.

"Mr Gray accepted the Notice of Complaint for the alleged breach of Article 19.2 of the Irish FA Disciplinary Code but wished to challenge the sanction offered in relation to the six-match standard suspension and £1000 fine imposed on Newry City AFC.

"Following the submissions made in mitigation the Disciplinary Committee determined that the appropriate sanction would be to impose a two-match standard suspension on Mr Gray which must be served effective from Monday 4 March 2024.

"The committee reduced the £1000 fine imposed on Newry City AFC to £400.

"Mr Gray has also been given a suspended four-match standard suspension which the committee may consider activating pending any further misconduct by Mr Gray by the end of the season or 31 May 2024, whichever is the latter."

The statement added: "The committee further determined Mr Gray must make a formal apology to each match official that officiated at the game on Saturday 13 January 2024."

Gray's side currently side five points adrift of Ballymena United at the bottom of the Sports Direct Irish Premiership.

Their next two matches, which he will now be suspended for, are away to Carrick Rangers on Saturday March 9th and away to Linfield on Saturday March 16th.