Rooks' boss King faces six-month ban

King was charged with a breach of FA rules for using abusive and insulting words to an official during the Weymouth v Lewes match on April 29 last season.

At the FA hearing on June 22 King was suspended from all football until December 31 and fined 500. The ban is due to come into force on Monday, July 17, if the appeal is heard by then and fails.

An FA spokesman said: 'Under the ban Mr King can only attend matches as a spectator. This is a total ban from all football matters, it also includes coaching and training sessions. It was Mr King's seventh case of serious misconduct in 25 months.'

Lewes chairman Terry Parris said: 'The club is staggered by this news and we will give our manager 100 per cent backing in his appeal. We will await the outcome and then consider any further action, the sentence is the most severe I have ever heard of.'

King has spent the summer compiling a squad that are favourites to win the Nationwide Conference South league title next season.

As revealed in the Express a month ago Anthony Storey is returning to the club from Eastbourne Borough after finally agreeing financial terms while Jamie Cade, on loan from Crawley last season, has also signed a deal. Midfielder Gary Holloway has moved over from Aldershot.

Also joining the club are Paul Booth from Cambridge City, Ian Simpemba from Crawley, Lewis Hamilton from Aldershot and Jay Saunders and Andy Drury, both from Gravesend & Northfleet.