Tony Pulis refuses to discuss Saido Berahino after it was revealed the striker did serve an eight-week FA ban while at West Brom

TONY PULIS admitted Saido Berahino DID serve an eight-week suspension at West Brom – but refused to discuss the matter further.

Berahino – who signed for Stoke in a £15million deal last month – is said to have been banned after failing an out-of-competition drugs test.

Reuters

But former Potters boss Pulis told reporters the ban - which The Sun has exclusively revealed was for taking party drug MDMA, found in ecstasy - was nothing to do with why he refused to pick Berahino.

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Pulis said: "He served a ban here at West Brom I don’t really want to comment on the reason why.

"I’ll go back to what I said then and I’ll say it again Saido didn’t play regular for me because he wasn’t fit enough – for whatever reason.

“I wasn’t counting. Whatever it was it was. The reason Saido didn’t play for me was because he wasn’t fit enough.

“We can’t, I can’t comment on that – that’s something other people will have to do first.

"What I have to be careful with now is Saido is no longer a West Brom player he plays for a former club of mine who I have tremendous respect for.

PA:Press Association

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"In this situation I think it’s better they deal with the situation from where they are with the player.

"Mark questioned why I wasn’t picking Saido – he has got the answers."

"Two, he was serving an FA ban. We are under an obligation not to. It was a personal matter.

"We’re under strict obligations not to release any of that information. That’s an FA directive."

And Pulis confessed he did feel let down by Berahino but he accepted the situation.

Reuters

He added: "Let down? I feel let down if we lose a game, with certain people’s performances.

"I feel let down if people are late for training.

"I feel let down if I go home and have dinner and the food’s not as hot as I’d like it to be so I’m always getting let down, here there and everywhere. You just have to accept it."

PA:Press Association

Pulis was quick to add that Berahino was well looked after by the club before his move to the Bet365 Stadium.

He added: “This football club was absolutely fantastic towards Saido.

"The way they treated him and what they’ve done for him, in lots of ways over that short period – but ever since I’ve been at this football club it has looked after its players and Saido more than most, has really been looked after."

Stoke boss Mark Hughes confirmed there had been an "FA disciplinary matter" and that "Saido had an eight-week suspension".