JON Stead has been banned for four games and will not be available to Ipswich Town again until the visit to Preston on January 30.

Elvin King

JON Stead has been banned for four games and will not be available to Ipswich Town again until the visit to Preston on January 30.

The six-goal in-form striker had his appeal against a red card for serious foul play in Saturday's game against Crystal Palace dismissed today.

An FA commission felt the claim had no prospect of success and ruled that Stead must now sit out four games, increased by one match if he had not appealed.

Stead's appeal allowed him to play and score twice in Monday's home 3-0 win over QPR.