Football Association for his part in the violence which caused a First Division match to be abandoned.

Four other players have also been punished in connection with the punch-up which forced a premature end to the clash between Eagles and Ireland Rangers on November 7.

Hill was accused of violently brandishing a piece of wood at an opposition player in sorry scenes at White Hill Field.

The suspensions were meted out swiftly by the BFA's Disciplinary Committee, which met on Tuesday. Their decisions were made public by the BFA yesterday.

Eagles' Jelanie Butterfield has been suspended until the end of the season and placed on probation for two years. His team-mate Darnell Pinkney has been banned for five games and put on probation until the end of the season.

Ireland Rangers players Ricky Tucker and Sean Symons must also serve five-match bans, with Tucker facing a one-year probation period, while Symons will be on probation until the end of the season.

The committee decided to take no action against three other players named in an official's report of the incident -- Eagles' Troy Smith and Adrian Burrows, and Rangers' Duane Derosa.

BFA secretary David Sabir declined to be specific about what the players had been punished for.

"They all relate to the abandonment of the match at Eagles field and to the actions of various players which contributed to the abandonment,'' said Sabir.

"To say what they have done is not really material.'' Sabir added the usual procedures had been followed. "It is our obligation to take action against those who, by our disciplinary code, have been deemed to have brought the game into disrepute.'' Hill's ban is the longest given to a player since March, when Commercial League player Chris Dailey also received a three-year suspension for fighting with his coach.

That was one of several major suspensions in a 1998-99 season which was blighted by violence.

Social Club player Ian DeSilva was banned for five years for punching referee Oral Swan, while brothers Ryan and Wendell Swan, of Devonshire Cougars, were banned for seven and two years respectively for attacking Vasco striker Dwight Basden.