The image above is copyright to SportBox.TV
The FA have admitted to Paddy Kenny and Kevin Blackwell, who were both in attendance at the hearing in London, that Paddy didn't take ephedrine to enhance performance, but despite this they have still opted to ban the 31-year-old. Kevin Blackwell is cheesed off by the ban, and confirms that Paddy himself is 'devastated'.
The ban will not allow Paddy to participate in any matches or training sessions around the world until the 22nd April 2010.
The Regulatory Commission Chairman, Christopher Quinlan, commented after the hearing: "The Regulatory Commission considered carefully the evidence and the submissions from both parties. Whilst we found that the Player satisfied us on the balance of probabilities that the substance was not taken with the intention of enhancing sporting performance, his admitted conduct displayed significant fault.
"A professional sportsman including a football player has a strict responsibility to ensure prohibited substances do not enter his/her body. In this instance Mr Kenny knowingly ingested an over-the-counter medicine above the prescribed dosage without reading the accompanying package or leaflet and without reference to his club's doctor or other medical staff.
"It is incumbent upon all professional footballers to understand the perils and dangers of so doing and to act in the way he did, contrary to the Doping Control Programme delivered by The FA and in any event what should be a matter of common sense for a professional sportsman, showed in our judgment a complete disregard for those responsibilities."
The FA came to the following conclusions:
'1. Mr Kenny committed a doping offence, namely the presence in his urine sample of ephedrine at a concentration of greater than 10ug/ml.
2. That Mr Kenny's use of ephedrine was not intended to enhance sporting performance.
3. The appropriate penalty imposed for this doping offence is a period of suspension from all football and football activities for a period of nine months.
4. The suspension to become effective from the date The Football Association suspension of the player, namely 22nd July 2009.
5. He shall be subject to 'target testing' for a period of two years with immediate effect.
6. The hearing fee was retained and he was ordered to pay costs of the hearing.'
Paddy will be permitted to feature in United's final two Championship games of the season against Swansea City and Ipswich Town and also any play-off fixtures if the Blades happen to finish between 3rd and 6th.
The Blades currently possess Mark Bunn in goal on loan from Blackburn Rovers until the turn of the year.