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Port Vale striker Tom Pope hit with one-match ban for "improper" Twitter comments

| 22 January 2020

Port Vale striker Tom Pope hit with one-match ban for

The 34-year-old was also fined £1,500.

Port Vale striker Tom Pope has been banned for one game due to "improper" Twitter comments, the Football Association has announced.

The 34-year-old has also been fined £1,500 after a breach of FA Rule E3 was found proven by an independent regulatory commission.

The PA news agency understands that this is a separate matter to social media activity from Pope earlier this month which the FA is continuing to look into.

[2/2] The Port Vale FC forward denied that his Twitter comments were abusive and/or insulting and/or improper and/or brought the game into disrepute.

The independent Regulatory Commission found the charge proven on the basis that the comments were improper.

— FA Spokesperson (@FAspokesperson) January 22, 2020

On January 6, Pope apologised for a tweet he sent when asked to "predict the WWIII result" after scoring in his side's 4-1 FA Cup defeat to Manchester City.

His reply, which was later deleted, read: "We invade Iran then Cuba then North Korea then the Rothchilds (sic) are crowned champions of every bank on the planet."

A statement from Pope published by his club stated that he was "unaware of any link between the Rothschild family and the Jewish community".

Pope had previously created a storm on social media after his goal in the third-round FA Cup tie at the Etihad Stadium backed up his pre-match bravado in a personal battle with City defender John Stones.

Sorry I can't reply to everyone it's gone mental! I'd just like to say I was completely wrong and bang out of order to say I'd score 40 a season..... it's more like 50 😊😊😊 enjoy your weekend 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻

— Tom Pope (@Tom_Pope9) January 4, 2020

Last summer Pope mocked Stones in a tweet, claiming he would score 40 goals a season if he faced the England international every week.

In a follow-up post after the match, Pope joked: "I'd just like to say I was completely wrong and bang out of order to say I'd score 40 a season... it's more like 50."

Port Vale reported the news of Pope's ban on their website but added that the club would be making no further comment.