A SOCCER player has been banned from Burnley and District Sunday League after assaulting an opponent, despite being cleared to carry on playing by Lancashire Football Association.

Norrie Doogan, 33, captain and centre half of the Lowerhouse Lane Ends, was looking forward to the first game of the season at the weekend after the Lancashire FA disciplinary committee decided not to impose a ban for assaulting a rival player.

But the league then delivered a letter to his club saying they had not accepted his registration.

Mr Doogan, of Berkeley Crescent, Padiham, said today: "I am disappointed - they won't let sleeping dogs lie.

"They should just leave it now.

"I was found guilty by the courts after a retrial and although I have always maintained my innocence, I can't afford to appeal about that so I just took the punishment - at least I did not lose my freedom.

"I will be appealing to the LFA about the Burnley and District Sunday League's decision to suspend my registration and a letter went in yesterday.

"At the end of the day I got my punishment form the courts, the LFA said I could play and Burnley and District Saturday League are happy to let me play. Why don't the Sunday League just let it go?"

George Walton, press officer for the Sunday league said: "We didn't accept his registration so he can't play in the Sunday League.

"He can play in any other league and he has the right to appeal against our decision.

"It is our right not to accept him in the league. We have a lot of young lads playing in the league and we have to think about them."

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