Souness fined for ref attack

Newcastle boss Graeme Souness has been fined £20,000 (€30,100) and handed a suspended two-match touchline ban following a verbal attack on referee Barry Knight.

The 52-year-old Scot was found to be in breach of the Football Association’s Rule E3 – a failure to act in the best interests of the game and/or having brought the game into disrepute – at a disciplinary hearing yesterday.

Souness has denied the charge, which resulted from comments made in his post-match press conference at Everton on May 7, but did not request a personal hearing.

“At a independent disciplinary commission hearing on Tuesday, Newcastle United manager Graeme Souness was fined £20,000 (€30,100) and received a two-match touchline ban, suspended for 12 months,” said a statement on the FA’s official website, www.thefa.com.

“All or part of this suspension will be activated if he is found guilty of a similar charge.”