Cantona may not play in England again

Eric Cantona may have played his last game in English football. The Frenchman, who assaulted a spectator after being sent off while playing for Manchester United on Wednesday night, was yesterday charged by the Football Association with bringing t he game into disrepute.

The charge gives the FA powers of both suspension and financial punishment. A life ban, previously only imposed on players who were guilty of taking bribes or assaulting referees, is unlikely.

Cantona, 28, who walked out on French football four years ago after he was suspended for throwing the ball at a referee, was making no comment yesterday.

Cantona may also face criminal charges for trading punches with a Crystal Palace fan.

The police are expected to speak to Cantona and his team-mate Paul Ince - also accused of confronting spectators - in the next few days.

Cantona could, in theory, continue to play for Manchester United for the next two weeks as, under FA regulations, he has 14 days grace to reply to the charge.

Manchester United's board of directors, who met last night, have yet to make a statement.

But, Graham Kelly, the chief executive of the FA, said: "We are confident that Manchester United will meet their responsibilities [refrain from selecting him], not just to their own club but to the widest interests of the game.

"What happened last night was a stain on our game. It brought shame on those involved and, worst of all, on the game itself. We especially deplore the appalling example set to young supporters who are the game's future."

The club, currently second in the Premier Division suffered a four per cent drop on the stock exchange yesterday, wiping tens of thousands of pounds off the club's share value.

The President of the French Football Federation, Claude Simonet, has asked to be kept informed. He said that Cantona would probably be stripped of the captaincy of the national side and dropped from the team.

Terry Lewis, MP for the Worsley, Greater Manchester, and a Manchester United supporter, said he was tabling a motion on Monday, which, while deploring Cantona's action, would express qualified support for a "hot-heated genius" who had been subjected to provocation.