Forgotten Premier League star turned non-league manager Pascal Chimbonda slapped with five-match stadium ban

PASCAL CHIMBONDA has been handed a five-match stadium ban for improper conduct.

The former Premier League defender was punished after he was sent off during Skelmersdale United's clash with Barnoldswick Town in October.

Chimbonda was charged with improper conduct as a result of the incident in his side's 4-1 win.

In a statement, the club said: "Pascal would like to state that although he pleaded guilty to the offence of leaving his technical area, he did so with the sole intention of preventing his players from getting hurt in a melee which had developed on the field of play."

Skelmersdale have also confirmed they will appeal against the severity of the punishment.

The club believe it "doesn't appear to be proportionate with the offence".

Chimbonda was appointed by the ninth tier outfit back in October, just six days before his red card against Barnoldswick.

It is his first job in management since retiring in 2019 aged 40.

The former full-back made 149 Premier League appearances for Tottenham, Wigan, Blackburn and Sunderland.

He also won a single cap for France and was part of their squad which reached the 2006 World Cup final.

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His Skelmersdale side currently find themselves five points adrift at the bottom of the North West Counties Football League Premier Division.

Chimbonda has already imposed himself as a no-nonsense manager too in his short coaching career.

The Frenchman made headlines with an X-rated half-time rant in a 6-0 defeat last month which saw him unleash 72 swear words.