A SUNDAY league player has been charged with assault by Worcestershire Football Association after allegedly putting a referee in a “headlock”.

The footballer was involved in the incident with the match official late on in Brewers Arms’ 1-0 defeat to Worcester Saints Reserves at Bilford Road last weekend, according to Worcestershire FA.

On receiving the referee’s report, the association charged the Brewers player with improper conduct and placed him under an immediate suspension.

Police are also investigating the incident during the McDonald’s Worcester and District Football League Division Four match and want witnesses to come forward.

Andy Pugh, manager and secretary of the Brewers Arms, said what his player did after being sent off for foul and abusive language was “totally out of order”.

“You can never ever raise your finger to a referee,” he said. “It was totally out of order.

“We are not a bad team but the only thing is our team doesn’t shut up. They keep moaning at the referee every single week which depresses you but this time it got out of hand.

“And it was a player who is probably one of the quieter ones but for some reason he just snapped.

“The players had to drag him off. I could not believe it.”

Pugh said he had set up the team ahead of the season, claiming he put hundreds of pounds of his own money into it.

However, the Brewers boss insisted he may consider pulling the plug if some of his players do not improve their discipline.

“I have just started this club up and from day one it has not been very good,” he said.

“We have got certain players who just want to cause arguments so we need to get rid of them and sort out our team before we get kicked out of the league all together.

“Most of the lads want to play football. It’s just certain players.”

Pugh added: “It made me feel like I wanted to pack the club in all together. That’s how bad it got.

“I have put about £1,000 into the club so far this season, so it is a big expense, but when players do that you think, ‘Why do I bother?’”

The player, who has not been named by Worcestershire FA, has got until Monday to respond to the charge.

An association spokesman said: “Following a report from the match referee about an incident in the match between Worcester Saints Reserves and Brewers Arms, a participant from Brewers Arms has been charged under FA Rule E3 Improper Conduct.

“This relates to assaulting the match referee.

“The participant has seven days to respond to the charge and has been placed under immediate suspension.”

A West Mercia Police spokesman said: “We were called at 2.03pm on Sunday to reports of an assault on Bilford Road.

“At approximately 12.05pm, a man is reported to have been assaulted. Investigations are ongoing.”

Anyone who witnessed the incident is being asked to call the police on 101, quoting incident number 399s of December 11.