Ref Darren Drysdale will not have a scheduled match this weekend following his clash with Ipswich's Alan Judge on Tuesday.

Drysdale, an RAF sergeant from Lincolnshire, was charged with improper conduct by the FA after squaring up to Judge in the latter stages of Ipswich's game against Northampton, reports the Daily Mail.

After apologising on Wednesday, the PGMOL have now taken Drysdale - who turned 50 today - off the League One clash between Southend and Bolton on Saturday, replacing him with Declan Bourne.

In his statement via the PGMOL, Drysdale admitted he had done wrong and apologised to Judge and Ipswich Town.

"I fully understand that it is important to maintain our composure throughout the game and always engage with players in a professional manner," he said.

"I'm sorry that I did not do that last night and I can only apologise to Alan and Ipswich Town."

Ipswich midfielder Judge, meanwhile, insisted he was not looking for an apology from Drysdale nor pressing an FA Charge, saying: 'Referees have a tough job to do and it was heat of the moment stuff that happens in football.

"The photo makes it look worse than it was and to be honest, the matter was finished with from my end as soon as I walked off the pitch.

"I wasn't looking for the referee to apologise; I wasn't looking for him to be charged. There was never going to be a complaint from me and I made that clear.

"Like I said, for me - it was finished with straight away."

But an FA statement on Wednesday evening said: "Darren Drysdale has been charged with a breach of FA Rule E3 following Tuesday night's EFL League One game between Ipswich Town FC and Northampton Town FC.

"It is alleged that the match official's behaviour during the 90th minute of the game amounts to improper conduct and he has until Thursday 4 March 2021 to provide a response."