You Back Row Boys had better save me a seat for Saturday's game with Milton Keynes.

It looks like I will be joining you after being hit with a one-game ban from the EBBA.

I guess yesterday's events took some keeping up with as I awaited confirmation of my punishment from the governing body.

Quite what you knew depended on what time of you day you read The Argus or checked thisisbrightonandhove.co.uk I began the day thinking I would not be able to coach the team at Scottish Rocks last night but was informed during the morning that the ban would come into effect on Saturday instead.

The whole thing arose out of my comments to officials after two of our defeats earlier this season, at Newcastle and at home to Scottish Rocks.

I was given six penalty points for the Newcastle game and nine for the Rocks game, making 15 in total. Ten points means a one-match ban and 15 means two so I was facing the prospect of missing two games.

I appeared at a hearing in Leeds on Tuesday night but only heard the result of that yesterday, with the six-point penalty being reduced to five to mean 14 points in all and just one game out.

Looking at the two offences, I admit I was out of line after the Rocks game and deserved the points given.

The Newcastle thing was different though. I was standing outside our locker room and the refs passed by. Sure, I made an inappropriate comment but certainly not inappropriate enough to warrant six points if you compare it with a lot of things you see and hear.

It was a one-sentence comment that did not deserve that penalty. Even five points is ridiculous.

My main concern during all this was to be treated fairly, just like other coaches in the league.

People have suggested I get away with a lot when I am on the sidelines talking to refs during a game. I don't see it that way, certainly not in the light of what you see and hear other coaches doing.

I am not exemplary on the sidelines and I know sometimes what I say in a game hurts the team. I also know that, through my actions and the way I am, the team knows I am sticking up for them. I will continue to operate that way. It has worked for me for ten years.

Steve Swanson will take charge for the Milton Keynes game and I have no worries about that all. Steve is a great basketball coach and we have worked closely together. The players will respond to him and to the situation and I would expect nothing other than a great performance.

I will not be allowed on the bench or into the locker room from one hour before tip-off. I am allowed into the arena, however, and in a way I am looking forward to it.

It will give me the chance to make a tour of the venue while the game is going on. I will definitely go and sit with the Back Row Boys for a while. I might even get some pom poms and join the cheerleaders, you never know.

We had a solid win last night in Scotland. We weren't stellar on the defensive end but we won comfortably against a good side which has got to encouraging. Everybody did pretty well with Randy Duck continuing to make strides forward, Mike Brown having a really big time game and Sterling Davis outstanding. I hope to see more of that on Saturday, albeit from a distance.

Go Bears