THE vice-president of a North-East county FA who told a female referees development officer that "a woman's place is in the kitchen and not on a football field" has lost his appeal against a four-month ban.

John Cummings, vice-president of the Northumberland County FA and Secretary of the North East Sunday League, had also told Lucy May that "all the time I'm alive, a woman will never referee on my league".

Cummings had told a disciplinary hearing he made the remarks as "a joke" and lodged an appeal, but that has been dismissed.

An FA statement said: "Following an Appeal Board hearing, the decision of the original independent regulatory commission to impose a four-month suspension from all football activities against Mr Cummings was upheld and he was ordered to pay £1,500 towards the costs of the Appeal Board."

Cummings had challenged the length of sanction imposed for an aggravated charge of using abusive and/or insulting words towards May, the Northumberland County FA's referee development officer.

In an interview with the FA before his disciplinary hearing Cummings said May should have realised he was joking.

He told the FA interviewer: "It's a standing joke with me, I mean a woman's place is in the home and everything so what difference does it make saying it in front of all her colleagues? She should obviously realise it's a joke."

May had said in her submission to the regulatory commission that Cummings words were spoken "without any kind of humour in his voice and [that he] appeared to be completely serious."