Campbell hit by FA charge

ANGRY Arsenal defender Sol Campbell has been hit by a violent conduct charge just 24 hours after demanding face-to-face talks with FA bosses over his on-going disciplinary nightmare.

Unless the 28-year-old defender can launch a successful fight against the charge, he will miss three crucial fixtures in the Gunners’ early season programme, which features successive matches against all their major title rivals. News of the charge, which has arisen over an incident involving Manchester United’s Eric Djemba-Djemba during the Community Shield earlier this month, is bound to anger Highbury boss Arsene Wenger, who believes his centre-half is being picked on.

And it also shows the former professional playing expertise of new FA chief executive Mark Palios will not signal a softening of the governing body’s stance on disciplinary issues.