FORMER Bury defender Roger Stanislaus - the first player in England to test positive for a performance-enhancing drug immediately after a match - faces an unprecedented two or three-year ban from football for drug abuse when he comes before the Football Association later today. The punishment could end the 27-year-old Leyton Orient defender's career.

But he will count himself lucky not to receive a life ban after being caught with traces of cocaine, regarded as a performance-enhancer, in his system straight after a game last November. Stanislaus, rated a skillful attacking defender, has played for Brentford and Bury and joined Orient for £40,000 this season.

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