Ref remarks cost Souness £20,000

NEWCASTLE boss Graeme Souness is facing a touchline ban after being found guilty of bringing the game into disrepute with his furious comments about referee Barry Knight.

Souness has been fined £20,000 and handed a two-match ban, suspended for 12 months, following a damning assessment of the official's performance in his side's 2-0 Barclays Premiership defeat at Everton on May 7.

Should the fiery Scot - who was found guilty of improper conduct towards referee Howard Webb during the Magpies' 4-1 home defeat by Fulham on November 7 last year and fined £10,000 and suspended for one game - re-offend during that period, he will find himself watching from the directors' box.