ANDY GURNEY will miss the first three matches of next season after being banned by the Football Association.

The Town captain has paid the price for a swearing incident caught on camera during the clash with Reading in March.

Gurney admits he swore at referee Barry Knight during the game but is staggered at the severity of the punishment.

As well as serving a suspension, the player will also have to pay a £600 fine.

He feels referees have him down as a marked man, due to his lofty position in the Second Division 'bad boys' league.

The 28-year-old clocked up 13 bookings and one red card during the season and has proof referees do take note of the statistics.

He said: "In one home game towards the end of the season, I was just about to lead the team out when the referee turned to me and said 'you're top of the bookings league aren't you?' If that was his attitude before the game, what chance did I have of getting through it without a booking."

Gurney was expecting a punishment from the FA, having received a letter about the swearing incident, but the suspension has come as a complete shock.

He said: "I have seen the incident on video and I accept that I swore, but if players were dealt with like this every time for swearing, there would be no-one left on the pitch."

Ironically, the incident only came to light during Alan Reeves' appeal against his red card in the same game.

Gurney said: "If I had known this was the punishment they were considering, I would have argued my case in person."

Gurney has the option to appeal against the ban which was the second punishment issued by the FA on Town in 24 hours after officials at Lancaster Gate fined Town £4,000 for the conduct of its players during the Reading game, a match which saw Paul McAreavey and Alan Reeves sent off.

McAreavey received a one match ban and a £250 fine.

Andy King said: "It is very difficult to make a comment because you just land yourself in trouble if you say what you really think. I know what I think, especially after being hit with a £4,000 fine on the strength of video evidence, but I am not prepared to lash out publicly.

"But I am obviously not happy that I am going to be without an important player at the start of the season."