FA to ban Newcastle manager for the rest of the season

Alan Pardew is set to be exiled from any match-day involvement with his Newcastle players for the rest of the season.

Toon chief Pardew was last night charged with “improper conduct” for butting Hull’s David Meyler during Saturday’s 4-1 win at the KC Stadium.

Pardew was dismissed by referee Kevin Friend and apologised for his conduct after the match, which saw Newcastle announce he had been fined £100,000.

But FA chairman Greg Dyke has already signalled Wembley chiefs feel they have to get tough with Pardew over the remarkable loss of control.

In a statement confirming the charge and giving Pardew until Thursday evening to respond, disciplinary beaks hinted at the gravity of the offence.

The statement read: “Due to the serious violent and/or aggressive nature of the reported behaviour this case has been designated as non-standard.”

Pardew’s case is being viewed as far more serious than that of former Blackpool boss Paul Ince, handed a five-game stadium ban in October for a sustained four-letter verbal assault and shove on fourth official Mark Pottage during the win over Bournemouth the previous month.

The Newcastle boss was previously handed a two-game touchline ban for shoving assistant referee Peter Kirkup during a game with Spurs in 2012 but the Meyler incident is seen as a vastly more damaging.

If Pardew accepts the charge in the next 48 hours his contrition and apology is an effective admission of guilt the punishment will be handed down before the end of the week with a 10-game stadium ban expected.

In any event, Pardew will discover his fate by the middle of next week, meaning the lengthy enforced absence will begin for Newcastle’s next game, at Fulham on March 15, leaving his future at St James’ Park under threat.