Kingstonian shot-stopper Rob Tolfrey has been handed a seven-match ban by the FA regulatory commission, and now he wants to move on and draw a line under the past two months.
The 27-year-old pleaded guilty to charges of breaching FA rule E3 – bringing the game into disrepute – after an altercation with away fans during the match with Bognor Regis Town in February.
The ban means Tolfrey, who has also been fined £375, will miss the final two games of the season, as well as the opening five games of next season.
He said: “I hope everyone can understand my silence, but now I want to thank the club, fans and friends who have stood by me during what has been a difficult time for me and my family.
“I don’t want to say too much about what happened, but I have played more than 400 Ryman league games and been called every single name under the sun.
“So to say I cannot handle banter from the stands is ludicrous.”
He added: “It has taken a while for the ban to come through, but now I want to serve my time and get back to playing as soon as possible.
“Hopefully now we can draw a line under it and move on.”
The FA said: “It is alleged that Rob Tolfrey entered the stands and confronted a fan, amounting to improper conduct.
“Mr Tolfrey admitted the charge and requested a non-personal hearing, meaning the commission just had to decide on the appropriate level of sanction.”
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