Beckford has scored 10 goals in his last nine games

Leeds United's Jermaine Beckford will be banned for three games after he pleaded guilty to a Football Association charge of violent conduct.

The charge related to Monday's game with Millwall, where the striker appeared to elbow keeper David Forde.

Beckford will now miss Saturday's West Yorkshire derby with Huddersfield Town.

Beckford told the club's website: "I would like to apologise to my team-mates and to the fans for this, that I will now miss a number of games."

Originally the former Wealdstone front-man had looked set to escape punishment for the incident as he appeared to be booked for it at the time.

If the match had not been shown live on television... the caution issued by the referee would have been the end of the matter Leeds chief executive Shaun Harvey

FA rules do not allow retrospective punishment if the incident is dealt with by the match referee, however it then emerged the card was for another foul.

If Beckford had appealed and still been found guilty he could have been banned for more than three matches.

Leeds CEO Shaun Harvey added: "We feel certain if the match had not been shown live on television and not received a massive amount of publicity thereafter the caution issued by the referee would have been the end of the matter.

"It is this type of inconsistency in disciplinary matters that is frustrating for clubs and confusing for fans."

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