DANNY Heale will miss the start of the Isthmian North season after he was slapped with a three-game stadium ban by the Football Association.

The Gulls chief was reprimanded following his dismissal in the 3-1 defeat to Haringey Borough in last season’s Isthmian North play-off final.

Canvey have a tough start to the 2018/19 season with matches against Barking, Grays Athletic and Cheshunt before Heale returns to the touchline at Bowers & Pitsea on August 27.

“I will miss the start, which is frustrating,” said Heale.

“It seems unjust as the referee caused chaos that day but I pay the price and the team suffered in the game.

“I will not be allowed in the stadium for the first three games of the season and that is obviously far from ideal, but we have to deal with it as we don’t think there is much point in appealing.

“But it is a tough start and it will be good to go back to Bowers (where Canvey won in last season’s Isthmian North play-off semi-final).

“The first month is exciting for everyone and now the fixtures are out we can start preparing.

“There will be teams up there you would expect to be up there.

“Grays will have a better season than they did last time you would expect, as will Aveley and Maldon & Tiptree are throwing a lot of money at it.

“Coggeshall are dangerous as well as Bowers, who have made a number of signings in recent weeks. But we will be ready.”

Canvey Island fixtures:

August: 11 Barking (H), 18 Grays Athletic (A), 27 Bowers & Pitsea (A)

September: 1 Bury Town (H), 15 Maldon & Tiptree (A), 22 Brentwood Town (H), 25 Great Wakering Rovers (H), 29 Aveley (A)

October: 6 Tilbury (H), 20 Coggeshall Town (A)

November: 3 Romford (H), 10 Heybridge Swifts (A), 17 AFC Sudbury (H), 24 Dereham Town (A)

December: 1 Soham Town Rangers (H), 8 Felixstowe & Walton United (A), 15 Witham Town (H), 26 Bowers & Pitsea (H)

January: 1 Basildon United (A), 5 Mildenhall Town (H), 12 Bury Town (A), 19 Barking (A), 26 Grays Athletic (H)

February: 2 Aveley (H), 5 Great Wakering Rovers (A), 9 Tilbury (A), 16 Coggeshall Town (H), 24 Romford (A)

March: 2 Heybridge Swifts (H), 9 AFC Sudbury (A), 16 Dereham Town (H), 23 Soham Town Rangers (A), 30 Witham Town (A)

April: 6 Felixstowe & Walton United (H), 13 Maldon & Tiptree (A), 20 Mildenhall Town (A), 22 Basildon United (H), 27 Brentwood Town (A)