MIDDLESBROUGH'S appeal against Frank Queudrue's red card at Spurs has been thrown out by the Football Association.

Queudrue was dismissed by referee Phil Dowd in Sunday's Premiership clash at White Hart Lane after a two-footed lunge at Noe Pamarot.

Dowd's decision to send off the 26-year-old French full-back incensed Boro boss Steve McClaren, who remonstrated with the official at half-time.

McClaren felt Queudrue's rash tackle deserved no more than a yellow card and said he would appeal against it. His request fell on deaf ears, however, as the FA upheld the straight red card, meaning a three-match ban for the Frenchman.

Queudrue's dismissal was his sixth since he joined the club in October, 2001.

An FA spokesman, said: "Franck Queudrue's appeal was rejected and he has been given a three-match ban, starting with immediate effect."

The former Lens defender will miss Monday night's Premiership game at the Riverside against Manchester City, followed by the trip to Southampton and the home game against Aston Villa.

George Boateng will join his team-mate on the sidelines on Monday evening. His 40th-minute booking against Spurs, for dissent, was his fifth of the season, bringing a one-game ban .

Meanwhile, the FA's head of media Adrian Bevington dismissed speculation that Stewart Downing was excluded from the England squad against Spain last month because of commercial pressures placed upon Sven-Goran Eriksson with regard to certain players.

He said: "I can assure all Middlesbrough fans that Stewart Downing was not left out of the squad for any other reason than that which Sven has already stated. Further to discussions with Steve McClaren and Peter Taylor before the Spain fixture it was felt he would benefit more through being with the Under-21 side.

"The FA has never included clauses in any of its commercial, broadcast or match contracts concerning the squad or team selection for any England fixtures.

"Sven is aware of his responsibilities to a TV audience of several million at home and also the many thousands of fans who pay good money to attend these matches, and this is the reason he finds it difficult for wide-scale changes - not any contractual issues."

Boro's game against Bolton Wanderers at the Reebok Stadium on February 12 will kick-off at 5.15pm, and will be shown as a Sky pay-per-view game.

Tickets are now on sale for Boro's December games against Manchester City, Southampton (away), Partizan Belgrade (home) and Aston Villa (home).

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