Adebayor fined £25,000 and given suspended ban

Manchester City striker Emanuel Adebayor received a £25,000 fine and a two-match ban suspended for a year for his provocative goal celebrations after scoring against his former club Arsenal at Eastlands last month. Adebayor, who had been pilloried by Gunners fans last season after a string of poor, passionless performances for the Londoners, ran the length of the pitch to jubilate in front of the travelling supporters.

His actions sparked a mini-riot that saw riot police called in to subjugate the Arsenal fans and also saw a Manchester City steward knocked out by a missile thrown from the crowd. Adebayor had already been banned for three games for his reckless behaviour on the page, having performed a dangerous tackle on his former teammate Robin van Persie that saw him rake his studs down the Dutchman's face.

"In reaching its decision the commission took into account his admission of the charge, [Adebayor's] public apology and the extremely provocative nature of the abuse he received," the FA said. "However, the commission also stated that players have a responsibility to conduct themselves in a proper manner and that such celebrations are unacceptable and have the potential to cause a serious public order incident."

Having already served the ban for the van Persie incident, the Togolese forward is now cleared to return for City against Aston Villa on Monday night. His manager Mark Hughes was happy to draw a line under the whole issue: "There has been a lot said and written about Emmanuel's goal celebration. We are just glad to put it all behind us now and I am relieved he will be able to play at Villa," Hughes told the Guardian. "Manu was in great form before his suspension and having him available again is a huge boost to us."

The FA found itself in an awkward situation relating to the goal celebration charge, as they had failed to sanction Gary Neville for a similarly provocative action during the Manchester derby a week after the Arsenal game. Neville had run to the City fans at Old Trafford after Michael Owen's injury time winner had sealed the game and had escaped censure by the sport's governing body. ·