ROY Keane, the Blues manager, was today still coming to terms with the loss of in-form striker Jon Stead for the next four games.A customary three-game ban for a sending off at Crystal Palace on Boxing Day for dangerous play was added to by an FA commission after Town decided to appeal.

Elvin King

ROY Keane, the Blues manager, was today still coming to terms with the loss of in-form striker Jon Stead for the next four games.

A customary three-game ban for a sending off at Crystal Palace on Boxing Day for dangerous play was added to by an FA commission after Town decided to appeal.

Keane wondered whether the fact that the appeal allowed Stead to play and score twice in the 3-0 home win over QPR on Monday had an effect on the FA's decision.

“I've been a manager for 120-odd games, and I don't remember a major decision going my way in that time,” said Keane. “The major decisions always seem to go against me.

“What's happened with Jon (Stead) makes me think about whether to appeal in the future.

“The FA might have thought that he'd have scored two goals the other day, when he got to play in that game, and so added another game on at the end to make an extra point.

“Four games is a lot, especially for that tackle! Though I got five once!”

Keane says the player is upset at missing a month's football: “The boy's devastated. He's a striker in a decent bit of form.

“Steady is as honest as the day is long and I've seen the tackle over and over again and it's a yellow card at the most and he ends up being out for the best part of a month.

“He didn't even deserve a three-match ban and we're disappointed for the player. He's never been sent off before, but I best say no more.

“He's a good striker; we're going to miss him.

“If it was a bad tackle and we did chance our arm a little I could get my head round it, but I think it's a yellow at most and nobody's going to change my mind on that.”