Toon to deny their players were ‘out of control’

Posted on August 16th, 2011 | 25 Comments |

FA charges Newcastle with having out of control players after the fracas against Arsenal.
Not guilty, m'lud
Newcastle United deny that their players were out of control during Saturday’s bust-up with Arsenal.

It appears Newcastle United aren’t happy about the charges the FA levied after the fracas during Saturday’s game against Arsenal.

The statement from the FA reads:

“Newcastle United and Arsenal have been charged by The FA with failing to control their players following Saturday’s fixture at St James’ Park.

“Both clubs have been charged following a mass confrontation of players following an incident in which Arsenal’s Gervinho was also shown a red card in the 75th minute.

“Following Gervinho’s dismissal Arsenal have lodged a claim that the standard punishment of a three-match suspension is clearly excessive. A Regulatory Commission will hear the claim on 16 August.

“Meanwhile Arsenal’s Alex Song has been charged separately by The FA with violent conduct following an incident earlier in the same fixture.

“Both clubs have until 1600 BST on 18 August to respond to the charge, whilst Song must reply by 1800 on 16 August.“

Newcastle’s response to the charge was obviously not penned by Alan Pardew as it was exceptionally terse and simply reads as:

“Newcastle United will deny the charge.”

I’m baffled as to the grounds they might consider using to deny the charges because, whilst Gervinho’s slap was definitely a sign of an ‘out of control player’, so was Joey Barton’s act of manhandling Gervinho back to his feet. I suppose they might claim Joey was merely helping Gervinho up.

It’s a little less clear who else was out of control amidst the scuffle, as opposed to perhaps attempting to break it up, I would think the sheer number of people involved in the altercation adds weight to the ‘out of control’ charge.

Still, at least they’ll get the opportunity to present their case, which is more than I got back in my school days when I was treated to ‘six of the best’ on the merest circumstantial evidence of being caught with a catapult in the vicinity of a broken school window. “I would like to explain,” said I. “No chance,” said the teacher, who added the typical “this will hurt me as much as it will hurt you, boy“. I sincerely doubted this and would have argued the point but I was rather distracted by the repeated impact of a size 10 slipper on my bottom.

Such was justice in my school days.

NUFCBlog Author: Hugh de Payen I'm a baby-boomer of the punk rock persuasion, currently exiled in Somerset for crimes committed in a previous life where locals keep trying to poison me with something called 'scrumpy'. Hates sprouts, coat-hangers, Cilla Black, ornaments, Steven Seagull movies and 50 Cent (he's not worth 10). Hugh de Payen has written 634 articles on this blog.

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Comment on this post

25 Responses

  1. The only reason we all got charged was because the ref had already dealt with Joey meaning the FA can’t just charge him and ban him for how ever long they wanted.

    Ours players were not out of control – most of them were trying to break it up…probably worried for Gervinho’s safety!

    HWTL

  3. As post one says, our players were not out of control, unlike the Arsenal keeper who ran the length of the pitch to get involved.

    I would also like to add that it is the referee who failed to keep control of the players. He missed the stamp and he missed Divinho’s numerous dives. Had he been on the ball and punished both of these the fracas wouldn’t have happened.

  4. totally agree on the point of their keeper, I almost spilled my beverage whilst screaming “get back in your f**king box” like an extra from Pulp Fiction…

  5. Barton was punished by the ref so doesnt count. The Arsenal players were the ones showing aggressive intent. They have no defence ours is that we were passive and activly trying to keep the peace.Not guilty.

  6. Gervinho was also punished by the ref.

    Either the ‘out of controlness’ applies to Barton and Gervinho, in which case both are guilty, or it applies to all the other players, in which case I think most – from both sides – were trying to break it up.

  7. If only the “Slipper” was still in use Hugh, there would be a lot less “dodgy” electronic gear for sale on our streets at the moment!

  8. Taylor informing the ref. that there was an elbow on Mr Lit. & Phil. didn’t look good – that might go against us.

  9. #7 saylor telling the ref barton was elbowed wouldn’t be deemed as out of control it just means officials will be weary next time. But at the end of the day I think joey is just as much a player in a tactical team. I think joey went in to provoke a reaction. Win win for ashley. At the end of the day a team like Barcelona try there dames to get a player sent off, how many el classicos have ended with real finishing with 11 men? There wasn’t many last season. At the end of the day 3 points is what is most important and how we get them is entirely a different matter. To be honest playing against 10 men is something worth digging into might not be the nicest but hey there’s worse out there. Certain teams rely on the advantage and when playing the top 6 prem teams, teams we need to compete against, we need all the luck, power, advantage we can get. Use it and abuse it and get three points on the board regardless. The record books never show how we got there just that we did. How many titles would man u have won without penalties and week free kicks just outside the box. We need to provoke just to compete so bring it on. And let us be more about a fortress and less about a football team. And see where we end up. Football isn’t just about the players kicking the ball its about what they do when there not that plays a part.

  10. Sorry about the relative lack of blogs lads. Got my computing world sorted out but now I’m pretty sure I have the Ebola virus.

    If Dignitas were to knock on my door right now I’d say “Howay in and finish me off FFS!”

  11. whats the crack with the Souchaux striker Modibo Maiga.
    – Modi-bo-Go….or-Modi-bo-stay?

    i like him, and Nicky Maynard in a swap for Best.

    That would give you Strikers:

    Ba, Modibo, Maynard, Ameobie, McLoven, SammyAm
    Aux: Obertan/HBA/Abeid

  12. “A form of Ebola virus has been detected in pigs for the first time, raising concerns it could mutate and pose a new risk to humans”

  14. If we did get Modibo who clearly wants to come, and Maynard for Best – a swap being the only likely way the club would splash on 2x new strikers with 2x wages….

    Then this could fessibly be our starting 11:

    —————Krul

    Simmo–Colo–Saylor–Pieters

    Barton–Cabaye–Tiote–Jonas/Marv

    ——Maynard— Modibo

    Subs: Ba, Obertan, Gosling, Vuckic, Willo, Frazser.

    Other: McLoven, HBA,Raylor,Abeid,Ferg…

    Looking good!

  15. That would give you Strikers:

    Ba, Modibo, Maynard, Ameobie, McLoven, SammyAm
    Aux: Obertan/HBA/Abeid

    …but realistically who would you put up front to replace the Carroll lad ?

    The more I “see” of Ba I think we should have bought Papiss Cissé, his Senegal strike partner instead. However Best + some cash for Maynard looks a decent risk, in the worst case we’d end up with another Championship striker, (remember that a certain A Cole came from Bristol City and did pretty weel for us – 55 goals in 70 odd games)

  16. I’d take Maynard, he looks like he could have the quality required to step up to the big league.

  17. If you’re not long for this world WT I’ll do you a cuppla blog topics. They’ll not be toeing the party line though :)

  18. Football rumours site

    This page was last updated: 20:23:48 GMT+1 16 Aug 2011 18:57:46 Modibo Maiga is set to join us at the weekend

  19. Time to get off the plane with his boots, hop in a taxi to the Dark Place and score a hat trick :)

  20. By the way Milner, swops players for players etc,went with Noel Edmonds swopshop. when cheggers used to ask if you wanted to swap your subbuteo for Malcolm Macdonald’s used once only undercrackers ….

    Its refreshing to see Maiga, a player who wants to play for the toon ..makes me wonder what he will be like when it’s minus 4 on the training ground in his tights, and gloves and scarve , will he be tweeting for a Spanish club !
    It also reminds me of the classic arrival of Faustino Asprilla to Toon , who flew into gossy airport, a Columbian national, and as he descended the airport steps it was snowing huge flakes ! and he looked skyward as if to say ” WTF “… He did not know whether to get back on board or sniff it !!

    No anyway , Maiga is more than welcome HTL….

  21. Equally the FA are using a hammer to crack a peanut ! I think they are maiking an example early on in the season to try and get some order on the pitch !
    Was it really a mass brawl of player ! , or one or two players the main agressors being separated by the majority of the others , in which case NUFC have good cause to appeal !
    The FA would have done better to police the dyer punch up on the pitch with his own player , several years ago… that was players not in control, but ONE player viz Barton has been dealt with at the time by the ref , it reeks of kneejerk afterthought , it’s b***lix…

  23. Brilliant. Can’t wait to see Wayne Bridge on loan. What does anyone expect any more. Smoke and mirrors, penny-pinching BS.

    Probably have Carlton Cole in by next week also. Whoop Whoop.

  25. Sorry, not sure what you are on about here? Buy British? Like Barton, Owen, Smith, Ryan Raylor, Guthrie, Nolan and all the other rusibbh that have helped send us down?Give me another Solano, Asprilla, Beye, Albert, Robert or Bassong any day.What’s so special about British players? Ask Wenger.