Newcastle manager Alan Pardew on Monday was facing a nervous wait to discover what action the Football Association would take following his headbutt on an opposition player.
The Magpies boss was involved in the nasty altercation when he clashed with Hull’s David Meyler during his side’s 4-1 away win at the KC Stadium on Saturday.
Pardew was fined £100,000 ($167,000) by Newcastle, who stopped short of sacking the fiery Englishman.
FA chairman Greg Dyke said in the aftermath of the incident that “clearly it looks serious and we will investigate it”.
A lengthy touchline ban seems all but inevitable but disciplinary officials at the FA, English football’s governing body, will first consider referee Kevin Friend’s match report before deciding what action to take.
Newcastle responded with immediate action of their own, saying in a statement: “His behaviour was unacceptable and is not the behaviour we expect from the manager of Newcastle United.
“Sadly, the headlines will not be focused on the result or the efforts of the players, but instead on the actions of our manager.
“Alan has offered his sincere apologies to the club and it is clear he deeply regrets his actions.”
Pardew, for his part, apologised afterwards by saying: “It was a heat of the moment thing. I massively regret it. He was right on top of me and I wanted to just ease him away from me but obviously I put my head in a forward motion. You can’t do that.
“I want to apologise to him, everyone at Hull and obviously my own fans as well.
“Sometimes when you’re on the sideline you can get involved in a moment like that. I don’t think it was a headbutt. It wasn’t a motion that was quick.”
He added: “I believe my behaviour over the years has not resulted in too many fines and sitting in the stands, but this one probably will.
“Sir Alex Ferguson once said to me, ‘go and sit down’. I think he was probably right. I will have to sit down from now on.”
Leading figures in English football condemned Pardew’s conduct, with League Managers’ Association chief executive Richard Bevan saying: It’s unacceptable, it’s inappropriate and it’s insupportable from every perspective and Alan knows that.”
It is not the first time the 52-year-old Pardew had been involved in an unsavoury incident on the touchline.
In 2006, when in charge of West Ham, his exuberant celebration of a goal led to a row with Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger while in September 2012 he was fined £20,000 for shoving a linesman and banned for two matches after disputing the award of a throw-in.
And it was only in January that Pardew escaped FA action for verbally abusing Manchester City manager Manuel Pellegrini during City’s 2-0 win at Newcastle’s St James’ Park ground.
Pardew said immediately after that match: “It was a heat of the moment thing, words we always have as managers, to a degree. I?ve apologised and I?m fortunate that he (Pellegrini) has accepted that.”
Source: MTNFootball
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