Walsall defender Emmanuel Monthe has been suspended for seven games by the Football Association for making a homophobic comment to an opposition player while playing for Tranmere last season.

Monthe has also been fined £1,200 and ordered to attend an educational course after abusing a Forest Green player in Rovers’ Sky Bet League Two match in May.

The 26-year-old Cameroonian denied the charge but was found guilty following an independent regulatory commission.

An FA statement read: “Emmanuel Monthe has been suspended for Walsall’s next seven matches, fined £1,200 and ordered to complete a mandatory education programme for a breach of FA Rule E3.2 that occurred while he was playing for Tranmere in a League Two match against Forest Green on Saturday, May 1 2021.

“The FA charged the defender for allegedly using abusive and/or insulting words towards a Forest Green player in the ninth minute of this match, which is contrary to FA Rule E3.1, and also alleged that this constitutes an “aggravated breach”, as defined in FA Rule E3.2, because it included a reference to sexual orientation.

“Emmanuel Monthe denied the charge but an independent regulatory commission found it to be proven and imposed these sanctions during a subsequent hearing. The written reasons for these decisions will be published in due course.”

Monthe will next be available for the Saddlers when they visit Bristol Rovers on January 29.