SHABIR Khan will be out of action for the next month after having his suspension extended to six games.

The defender was handed a three-game ban for his body-slam on Stockport County’s Charlie Russell on February 21 but that has been increased by an independent regulatory commission after the Football Association alleged the initial punishment was “clearly insufficient”.

Shabir, who missed last Tuesday’s 1-1 draw against Guiseley with a knee injury, started his suspension in Saturday’s 2-0 victory over Gainsborough Trinity at Aggborough.

As well as sitting out this Saturday’s trip to Solihull Moors and next Tuesday’s visit of Fylde, which were covered by the initial ban, Shabir will also miss the home match against Barrow and away games at Boston United and Lowestoft Town.

Manager Carl Heeley said: “It’s six games. I’m not going to go into that, it’s six games, we accept it, it doesn’t mean we agree and we move on.”

With Shabir suspended, Wayne Thomas struggling with a back injury and Graham Hutchison having been sold to Halifax, Heeley has reinforced his defence with the signing of Anthony Charles.

Charles has joined until the end of the season following his release from Nuneaton Town and made his debut against Gainsborough.

The 33-year-old has had previous spells with Luton Town and Plymouth Argyle and played more than 150 times for Aldershot Town in the Football League.

Heeley said: “We needed another central defender in there and being a left-footed one was a big bonus as well.

“He’s signed until the end of the season. He’s fit, probably hasn’t played as much as he would have liked and he said he was tiring at the end.

“But credit to him, it was the first time he had met the lads and I thought he had a solid debut. He’s a good organiser and talked really well across the backline. He’s got lots of experience, has played at a really good level and I thought he had a solid debut.

“Whichever back four we pick we seem to get clean sheets so I’m not going to complain about that.”

City are without a midweek game this week and Heeley is hoping the break will give some of his injured players chance to recover.

As well as Thomas, striker Mike Symons missed the Trinity game with a hamstring problem and right-back Kyle Haynes was absent with a thigh injury.

But left-back Tyler Weir is making progress having been out since the 1-0 defeat to Bradford Park Avenue on January 11 with a broken foot.