Prutton admits double charge

Southampton midfielder David Prutton faces a lengthy suspension after admitting two charges of improper conduct following his clash with referee Alan Wiley at St Mary’s last weekend.

The 23-year-old was dismissed by Wiley for two bookable offences and was therefore already due to miss tonight’s FA Cup fifth-round replay at Brentford through suspension.

However, he was also handed two FA charges yesterday following his remonstrations – where he appeared to push Wiley on at least one occasion – and his failure to leave the pitch quickly.

Prutton had until 6pm today to either admit or deny the two charges and, having issued a public apology last night, there was little surprise when his response came.

The FA revealed on their website, www.theFA.com: “Southampton’s David Prutton has admitted two charges of improper conduct in relation to an incident following his sending-off against Arsenal on February 26.

“The case will be heard by a disciplinary commission on Wednesday, March 2.

“The first charge relates to his failure to leave the field of play promptly following his dismissal and his attempt to remonstrate with the assistant referee, during which he pushed the referee on at least one occasion.

“The second charge relates to his threatening words and/or behaviour towards a match official.”

Prutton must plead for leniency at tomorrow’s disciplinary commission hearing, when he can expect a suspension of about seven matches.

Although Wiley did not fall over, as Paul Alcock did when he was infamously pushed by Paolo di Canio, the offence was still effectively the same.

So while Prutton’s guilty plea and expressions of remorse will help him, he can expect to be hit hard when the commission deliver their verdict.

The case has been brought under the FA’s new ’fast-track rules’ and, in instances of red-card offences missed by the match officials but captured on video evidence, players do not have the right to attend hearings.

However, with Prutton already banned from his next game – tonight’s cup tie - he is allowed to attend tomorrow’s hearing in person as the matter is deemed to be ‘outside the jurisdiction of the match officials’.

In his public apology, the Saints midfielder declared: “It’s an horrendous situation. I apologise to the referee and linesman, who were only doing their job.”

Boss Harry Redknapp, who raced to restrain Prutton, admitted: “I cannot stand here and defend him, he committed an act of stupidity that cost us dearly. We’re going to be without him for a long time, there’s no doubt.”