Yeovil Town forward Otis Khan will miss the chance to face boyhood team Manchester United after the Football Association upheld his suspension for pushing a referee.
Khan had pleaded to have his ban quashed after insisting he fell into Kevin Johnson rather than push the official in the final stages of the 2-1 defeat to Chesterfield on Saturday.
@BBCSport @YTFC @FA @SkySportsNews @talkSPORT @talkSPORTDrive @bbcbristolsport @alanbrazil pic.twitter.com/M54XqfnfwE
— Otis Khan (@OtisKhan63) January 21, 2018
The 22-year-old was shown a red card during the game and was initially suspended for three matches. Yeovil launched an appeal but it was rejected by the FA, who instead increased Khan's ban to five games meaning he will sit out Friday's FA Cup fourth round tie against United at Huish Park on Friday.
Khan, who was born in Ashton, is a former United trainee. He left for Sheffield United in 2012 without making a first-team appearance. He issued a statement on Sunday insisting the incident had not been intentional and that he was "heartbroken" at missing the opportunity to line up against United.
He said: "Mr Johnson, I am deeply sorry for falling into you, in all my time playing football I have always had the utmost respect for referees and officials.
"I ran towards the referee and upon doing so I tripped and fell towards him, making contact.
"I am absolutely heartbroken at this time because my dreams of playing against my boyhood team are in doubt. It's the worst time of my life at this moment."