Record ban for Millers defender as Maguire makes switch

ROTHERHAM United defender Kirk Broadfoot has been banned for 10 matches after being found guilty of a misconduct charge by the Football Association.

The incident occurred during a Championship game between the Millers and Wigan on Saturday, March 14.

An independent regulatory commision hearing deemed the Scot had “used abusive/and or insulting words towards a member of the opposition, in breach of FA Rule E3(1).”

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An FA statement added: “It was further alleged that the breach was an ‘aggravated breach’ as defined by Rule E3(2).”

Broadfoot, 30, was also fined £7,500 and ordered to complete an education programme.

The incident involved James McClean, recently transferred to West Bromwich, with Broadfoot unhappy at the award of a free-kick which he felt the Republic of Ireland international had dived to win.

Wigan scored from the resulting free-kick, and after that game, which the Millers lost 2-1 at the new York Stadium, Broadfoot claimed: “He’s cheating. That is cheating. I am nowhere near him and he’s diving.”

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The ban is a record for verbal abuse in English football, beating the eight games handed to Luis Suarez when he was found guilty of racially abusing Patrice Evra in December, 2011.

Chris Maguire has become the third player this summer to swap Sheffield Wednesday for Rotherham.

Forward Maguire, becomes Rotherham’s 11th signing of the summer, following Lewis Buxton and Joe Mattock across South Yorkshire.

Maguire spent three seasons at Hillsborough.

Rotherham chief Steve Evans said: “It is fantastic news that has reached me in Scotland this morning that Chris Maguire has become a Miller.

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“This young man is a player I have admired since his days at Aberdeen and he was a lad that was on my targeted list of players at the end of last season.

Chelsea target John Stones would improve as a player under Jose Mourinho, according to the Everton defender’s former team-mate and mentor Barnsley stalwart Bobby Hassell.

Everton are braced for an improved offer from Chelsea for Stones after turning down an initial £20m bid and Hassell said a move to Stamford Bridge would not daunt the 21-year-old England international.

“I could see him going to play for Mourinho and getting even better,” said Hassell. “Natural defending is what Mourinho is a master at and John’s got everything else – if he was a foreign player everybody would be raving about him. He’s that good on the ball, he’s quick and so comfortable in possession.

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“He’s a good kid and a level-headed lad. He’s from Barnsley and his parents are good people so he’ll deal with the pressure that will come his way, unlike a lot of other lads.”

Hassell, who had his Barnsley testimonial last weekend against another former club, Mansfield, helped nurture Stones when he made the first-team breakthrough at Oakwell at the start of the 2012/13 season.

Everton had seen enough potential just halfway through that season and paid £3m for Stones the following January.