Hoddle hit by FA charge

Tottenham manager Glenn Hoddle has been charged with improper conduct by the Football Association.

The charge relates to his comments regarding referee Rob Styles following Tottenham’s defeat at Birmingham on the opening day of the Barclaycard Premiership season.

The Spurs coach was unhappy with Styles’ performance as his side slipped to a 1-0 defeat to a penalty which left him angry.

Hoddle said after the August 16 setback: “I don’t think this referee should have been in charge of the game today.

“He had a big problem with Birmingham and you could tell that he was affected by that. From the first minute I knew it would go against us.

“The last place he should be officiating on the first day of the season is St Andrews and that is why we lost today.”

Styles booked eight players in a not particularly ill-tempered match and Hoddle added: “I’ve got nothing against him as a referee but he made some poor decisions and it sticks in the throat.”

Meanwhile, Birmingham themselves have lodged an appeal for wrongful dismissal following Darren Purse’s sending-off against Fulham at the weekend.

Purse was dismissed for wrestling Luis Boa Morte to the ground as the Fulham striker ran off with the ball seconds after Mikael Forssell’s second goal of the game had earned the Blues a point.

The matter has been submitted to the video advisory panel.