Souness denies disrepute charge

Newcastle boss Graeme Souness has denied an FA charge of bringing the game into disrepute after launching a furious attack on referee Barry Knight.

The 52-year-old Scot had until today to respond to the allegation of "a breach of FA Rule E3 for a failure to act in the best interests of the game and/or having brought the game into disrepute" after his side's 2-0 Barclays Premiership defeat at Everton on Saturday, May 7.

However, Souness has not requested a personal hearing and disciplinary chiefs will now consider the case based on documentary evidence within the next few weeks.

"Newcastle United manager Graeme Souness has denied a charge of failing to act in the best interests of the game and/or bringing the game into disrepute (breach of FA Rule E3)," said an FA spokesman. "He has not requested a personal hearing.

"The charge related to post-match media comments following Newcastle United's Premier League match against Everton on May 7, 2005."

Souness spoke out after seeing the official, who had earlier in the season sent off Steven Taylor, Kieron Dyer and Lee Bowyer in a controversial encounter with Aston Villa at St James' Park, dismiss striker Shola Ameobi for lashing out at midfielder Tim Cahill.

However, his criticism at Goodison Park was based more on the award of a free-kick which led to Everton's opening goal.

"The referee was apologising to some of our lads before the game for the penalty he gave in that Aston Villa match," Souness said during his post-match press conference. "It was outside the box and he said that.

"That was the game when we had three players sent off out of extreme frustration. But Mr Knight escaped without any criticism that day and this time, he has given a free-kick to Everton that wasn't and it changed the game.

"There were other decisions he got wrong. We feel hard done by again because of Mr Knight. I won't defend Ameobi for what he did and when he was sent off, the game was over, but (Jean-Alain) Boumsong says it wasn't a foul on (Marcus) Bent when they scored their first."

Souness was fined £10,000 and banned from the touchline for a game earlier in the season after hitting out at referee Howard Webb's performance following his side's 4-1 home defeat by Fulham on November 7.

On that occasion, he was granted a personal hearing, but later admitted the charge and withdrew his request for the opportunity to explain his actions.