FORMER Guiseley join-manager, Marcus Bignot, has been forced to temporarily stand down from his role with the England Under-19 men’s team after he was charged by the Football Association for allegedly using homophobic language in a Women’s Super League match.

Bignot, a coach at Birmingham City Women, was accused of aiming a homophobic slur at a member of Tottenham Hotspur’s coaching staff during the WSL game on Sunday, February 13.

He was subsequently charged by the FA in March because of alleged “improper and/or abusive and/or insulting language that “included a reference, whether express or implied, to sexual orientation”.

If the charge is proven, Bignot could face the longest ban ever issued in the history of the WSL and miss up to 12 games.

Bignot, who was also a joint manager of Guiseley since 2018, was placed on “gardening leave” alongside two other members of the management staff by the National League North men’s side on April 11 because of recent results.

A club statement read: “The Guiseley AFC board of directors have made the difficult decision to place the management team of Russ O’Neill, Marcus Bignot and Paul Clayton on gardening leave for the remainder of the season.”

Bignot has continued to work at Birmingham City, however.