Holloway led Blackpool to the Premier League last season

Blackpool manager Ian Holloway has been given a one-match touchline ban for improper conduct to match officials after his side's defeat by Blackburn.

Holloway, who admitted swearing at referee Mike Dean in the tunnel after the 2-1 loss, has also been given a £9,500 fine for his outburst.

The 47-year-old said he shouted at Dean and called him "useless" after the 25 September match but later apologised.

He now misses Sunday's Premier League match at home to Manchester City.

Holloway had been furious that Blackburn's injury-time winner by Brett Emerton was allowed to stand, despite a suspicion of offside and a foul during the build-up to the goal.

The former QPR and Plymouth manager was charged by the Football Association with improper conduct following his actions.

"I'll be up front and honest with you - I shouted at the referee coming off," he told reporters in his pre-match news conference before the Bloomfield Road outfit's trip to Liverpool in the Premier League on 3 October.

"I used the word 'useless' because I didn't think he had a very good game, and I put a horrible one in front of it. That was out of frustration and I shouldn't have done it.

606: DEBATE How badly will the touchline ban against Blackpool against Manchester City on Sunday?

"I apologise for the abusive language I used. I should have gone in and calmly said 'I felt this, why did you do that?', because he is trying to do his job."

Holloway added: "My lads need me on the side, so if I am going to be punished up in the stand where I can't help them, what good is that to me and my team? So I have got to learn.

"I'm still learning and I have got to learn quickly. I should have learned last week that whatever I shout out at someone because I am frustrated isn't acceptable, not from my position.

"That is not a good example to show to anyone in that tunnel and it is not what I want to say to that referee, because he did his best."

The FA regulatory commission which heard the case took into account Holloway's two-match touchline ban for improper conduct towards a match official at Blackpool's FA Cup third-round match against Ipswich in January. The Seasiders' lost the match 2-1.

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