Shaun Rooney: Fleetwood Town defender receives four-match ban for reaction to red card

Shaun Rooney has received a four-match ban for his reaction to a red card against Sheffield Wednesday

Fleetwood Town defender Shaun Rooney has been banned for four matches and fined £1,500 for "improper and threatening" behaviour.

Rooney, 26, was sent off for a second yellow card offence in the League One fixture against Sheffield Wednesday on Boxing Day.

He reacted by confronting Owls manager Darren Moore and the fourth official as he made his way off the field.

That resulted in an extra charge under FA rule 3.1, which Rooney admitted.

The rule states: "A participant shall at all times act in the best interests of the game and shall not act in any manner which is improper or brings the game into disrepute or use any one, or a combination of, violent conduct, serious foul play, threatening, abusive, indecent or insulting words or behaviour."

Rooney had given Fleetwood the lead early in the game, but after Wednesday hit back to go 2-1 in front he received two yellow cards. After exchanging words with opposition players as he made his way off the pitch, Rooney headed for Moore and pushed him before being restrained by his own coaching staff.

The ban means he will now miss Fleetwood's FA Cup third-round tie against Queens Park Rangers on Saturday, as well as home league games against Oxford United and Portsmouth, and the return with Sheffield Wednesday at Hillsborough.

Meanwhile, Fleetwood have announced the signing of midfielder Callum Dolan from Northern Premier League club Warrington Rylands for an undisclosed fee.

The 22-year-old, who has signed a two-and-a-half-year contract, has also played for Altrincham, Ashton United, Radcliffe and Matlock.