Leeds pair Orta, Mooney handed stadium ban and fine

Leeds director of football Victor Orta and head of media and communications James Mooney have been handed one-match stadium bans, and also been fined, after accepting charges laid against them by the Football Association.

The pair were involved in separate incidents in the Elland Road tunnel at half-time of Leeds’ 3-2 Sky Bet Championship victory over Millwall on January 28.

Leeds had been 2-0 down at half-time before mounting a second-half recovery.

A statement from the FA read: “Leeds United FC’s director of football, Victor Orta, and head of media and communications, James Mooney, have been given immediate one-match stadium bans following separate breaches of FA Rule E3 during the club’s EFL Championship fixture against Millwall FC on 28/1/2020.

“Victor Orta admitted that his language and/or behaviour in the tunnel area at half-time amounted to improper conduct and James Mooney admitted that his behaviour during a separate incident in the tunnel area at half-time also amounted to improper conduct.

“Victor Orta and James Mooney have been fined £2,000 and £700 respectively.”

Leeds had already confirmed neither would be contesting the charges.

A club statement issued on January 31 read: “Both incidents show a lack of judgement, but we do not believe that either party has used inappropriate language or acted aggressively.”

Leeds are next in action at rivals Nottingham Forest on Saturday, when Marcelo Bielsa’s side will look to get their own automatic promotion push back on track following a surprise 1-0 home defeat by strugglers Wigan.

Bielsa has spoken about the clamour to field January signing Jean-Kevin Augustin after he was left out of the matchday squad for the defeat to Latics last time out.

“Augustin is a player who can make a lot of impact. He has a lot of skills. You realise that from how much he cost and the teams he played for. But in the last eight months he played three full matches,” the Leeds boss said.

“When this happens, the conclusions about his fitness levels are clear. Would a player with the ability of Augustin would arrive to our club if he wasn’t in the situation that he’s in now? A player of his level, with his skills, if he’s playing he could cost £30m or £40m.

“If he arrived here without us paying that money, it’s because he has to resolve a problem – that he wasn’t playing. His fitness performance is very important.

“If Augustin gets to 70% of his skills, it is enough for him to play here. If he can only use 50% of his skills then it is not enough.”