Alpha United Football Club has dropped the disciplinary hammer on six of its players by dishing out six month suspensions to each.

National striker Gregory `Jackie Chan’ Richardson heads the list of affected players which also includes Richie Richards, Manesseh `Ziggy’ Primo, Anthony `Natural’ Benfield, Quincy Adams and serial offender Andrew `Smoker’ Murray Jr.
Club Vice- President Steve Ninvalle said that the Alpha executive was left with no other alternative than to `hammer home’ the message that indiscipline, at any level would not be tolerated.
“These suspended players have a history of infractions. There is no more apposite way for us to hammer home the point that indiscipline would not be accommodated in any form,” Ninvalle said.
Richardson, fellow striker Primo and midfielder Benfield were found guilty of abandoning the team just before its final match of the CONCACAF Champions League in Portland, Oregon last month.
The three players defied instructions given by Coach Wayne `Wiggy’ Dover, left the hotel hours before the game against Portland Timbers to go shopping. They could not be found when the team left for the venue of the match but surfaced at the match venue long after the team arrived.
Their absence forced Dover to commence the game without them and left Alpha’s President Odinga Lumumba frothing at the mouth. The nonappearance of Richardson and company seemingly impacted heavily on Alpha United who lost the game 6-0 and has resulted in their half year suspension each.
Murray, a striker, goalkeeper Richards and defender Adams have all left for Suriname without informing the club. They have also been issued six month suspensions which will be up in April 2015. In the meantime, the suspended players would not be allowed to play any level of football.
Both the Guyana Football Federation (GFF) and CONCACAF have been notified of their suspension.
Like Murray Jr., Richardson had several brushes with the administration of the club since moving from Pele Football Club approximately two years ago.
In February 2009, Richardson became the first Guyanese to land a contract in the USA’s Major League Soccer (MLS) after signing with the Colorado Rapids. He stayed with the club for four months before being waived to Carolina Rail Hawks in June.