Souness charged by FA

Newcastle manager Graeme Souness was today charged with improper conduct towards a match official by the Football Association following his side’s 4-1 defeat at home to Fulham.

The 51-year-old Scot was sent from the bench after reacting furiously to referee Howard Webb’s decision not to award a penalty when skipper Alan Shearer went down under Papa Bouba Diop’s 31st-minute challenge.

Souness kicked a water bottle and remonstrated with Webb on the sideline before being ordered to the stands.

He and his players had already taken issue with an earlier decision not to penalise Zat Knight for a foul on Shearer at the start of the move which led to the visitors’ opening goal.

“I am no doubt going to be marched off to the tower and the keys thrown away,” Souness said today.