Smith handed two-match ban

Eddie Gray has again laid down the law to Alan Smith and urged the firebrand star to learn the lessons from his suspension-hit past and control his temperament.

Smith was today given a two-match ban by a Football Association disciplinary panel at Soho Square after pleading guilty to a charge of improper conduct, although he managed to avoid a fine.

The charge stemmed from an incident at the end of Leeds' Carling Cup defeat at home to Manchester United on October 28 when Smith picked up a plastic bottle and hurled it back into the Elland Road crowd, hitting the sister of one of his best friends.

Smith issued an apology the following day, and although later arrested and quizzed by West Yorkshire Police in relation to the matter, the Crown Prosecution Service advised no action be taken against the England international.

Smith's arrest, though, caused a furore as it came hours after he had been selected for the England squad to face Denmark in a friendly at Old Trafford in November.

Smith was immediately dropped from the squad once the FA learned of his arrest, in line with their policy not to select players for the national team who are under police investigation.

The inconvenience to Smith on that occasion was probably taken into account, with the three-man panel deciding on a verdict which means the 23-year-old is ruled out of the games at home to Middlesbrough on January 31 and at Aston Villa a week later.

After the hearing, in which Smith was represented by acting chairman Trevor Birch, club secretary Ian Silvester and a solicitor, Leeds made their feelings plain as they issued a terse and condemnatory statement.

It read: "The club are disappointed, as is Alan. Leeds United feel the player has been very harshly treated over the whole matter."

Although Smith's actions that day showed his disgust at the fact such an object could be thrown onto the pitch by a Leeds fan, with the bottle aimed at a Manchester United player, Gray feels he should still show greater responsibility for his actions.

Smith, sent off nine times in his career, has also been booked nine times this season and is a further yellow card away from serving an extra two-match suspension.

"Alan knows what's expected of him no matter what position he plays in," insisted caretaker boss Gray, who had been hoping the FA would be lenient, particularly bearing in mind the resources of his small squad.

"He is a vital member of our squad and the one thing we can do without is him being suspended, so in my opinion, he still has to control his temperament even better.

"He has to realise that himself because let's be fair, in football, you don't get a bad-boy image for nothing.

"So he has to learn to control his natural aggression, which he is working hard at. There's nothing he can't sort out.

"If that happens then he is a great asset to Leeds United, although like everybody else he is disappointed by the position the club is in. You expect that from somebody like Alan.

"But he has to react in a positive manner and make sure he controls his emotions and gets on with the job of helping Leeds United climb the table, and I'm sure he will."

Gray cited a Leeds legend in the late Billy Bremner who could serve as a role model to Smith for the Scot also had a fiery temperament during his early years, but with time and experience came understanding.

"There've been a lot of players throughout the years who learn through experience, with Billy Bremner one of those players," added Gray.

"Billy learned to control his natural aggression the longer he played, and that will happen to Alan. David Batty was also quite similar when he was younger as well."