Pardew accepts FA punishment

Newcastle manager Alan Pardew has said he never had any intention of mounting an appeal against the Football Association’s punishment following his headbutt on Hull’s David Meyler earlier this month.

Pardew was this week banned for seven matches by an independent FA commission over his clash with Meyler during Newcastle’s 4-1 win at Hull on March 1. He is barred completely from the stadium for those first three matches, and must sit in the stands for the remaining four.