York City striker Andy Bishop has dismissed FIFA's officious ruling over goal celebrations as "stupid".

The directive from football's governing body was called into question at the weekend when Holland international Arjen Robben was sent off for racing to his own fans after scoring the winning goal in Chelsea's 2-1 Premiership victory at Sunderland.

Robben's actions were deemed worthy of a second bookable offence and Bishop also has reason to feel aggrieved by the controversial law.

The 23-year-old striker (pictured) has twice been shown yellow cards this season for celebrating goals and those cautions have contributed significantly to the one-match ban which will mean City will be without their leading scorer for Saturday's home match against Grays Athletic.

Bishop incurred the suspension for becoming the first Minsterman this season to reach five bookings - the first of which came ironically for his reaction to scoring at Grays in the first meeting between the two sides this season.

The former Walsall striker had his name taken for the same reason at Accrington Stanley but can feel justifiably upset after being punished for celebrations that did not appear to fall into the "excessive" category defined by FIFA (see panel).

About missing Saturday's KitKat Crescent clash with fellow play-off contenders Grays, City's 14-goal marksman said: "It's disappointing because it's a big game and we could do with the points to stay in the pack and I would have liked to help the team get one over them after we thought we should have beaten them at their place and then they taught us a lesson in the FA Cup.

"I'm also a bit disappointed with the two yellow cards which I don't think I should have been given. If you look at the Accrington one, I didn't even leave the pitch like Robben did.

"I don't think celebrating a goal does any harm and I think it's a stupid rule because you lose your head after scoring."

Billy McEwan has also despaired at the ruling and, on his realisation that Bishop would miss the Grays match, said: "Your emotion takes over when you score and I think it's crazy how you can be considered to be enticing a crowd when there's little more than a thousand fans in the ground."

Bishop has netted 11 of City's last 19 goals with fellow strikers Clayton Donaldson and Joe O'Neill both enduring barren spells.

Donaldson has scored just once in his last 12 outings and O'Neill has failed to hit the target in 18 matches but Bishop still believes the team will carry a goal threat in his absence.

He said: "I think we definitely have players that can score goals without me. Grays are a very good, attack-minded team, who play football the right way and are in your face but the lads are really looking forward to the game."

Bishop has also been the subject of recent speculation over a move away from KitKat Crescent but, with the transfer window closing on January 31, stressed that he would be happy to stay and help the Minstermen re-ignite their top-five aspirations during the second half of the season.

He said: "I've not come across anybody coming in for me and I've never said that I want to leave. I have a contract here until the end of the season and I just want to keep helping York City and scoring goals."

What the law says:

In relation to the celebration of a goal, the law says a player must be cautioned when:

In the opinion of the referee, he makes gestures which are provocative, derisory or inflammatory.

He climbs on to a perimeter fence to celebrate a goal being scored.

He removes his shirt over his head or covers his head with his shirt.

Leaving the field to celebrate a goal is not a cautionable offence in itself but it is essential that players return to the field as soon as possible.

Updated: 09:29 Thursday, January 19, 2006