Newcastle fine Alan Pardew £100,000 for head-butt on Hull's David Meyler
Newcastle's action over what they called "unacceptable" behaviour came amid calls from figures within the game for Pardew's dismissal, with the former Newcastle manager Graeme Souness calling it "a sackable offence".
The FA chairman, Greg Dyke, responded to the incident by saying: "Clearly it looks serious and we will investigate it." Pardew, who has some form when it comes to pitch-side confrontations, can expect a significant ban, according to The Guardian.
The incident was sparked by Pardew taking exception to being moved out of the way by Meyler as he retrieved the ball for a throw-in. Pardew objected to the contact from the home defender and, after squaring up to Meyler as he sought to rejoin play, the manager then head-butted him in the face.Pardew was contrite after the match, telling Sky: "It was a heat of the moment thing - I massively regret it. I think I'm going to sit down now because that's two or three incidents I've been involved in. I didn't mean to do anything aggressive but I moved my head and that's enough."
Hull's manager, Steve Bruce, said: "I think Alan knows he's been stupid and apologised. I haven't seen [anything like it] before but it's gone, as far as we're concerned. We've accepted his apology."
Bruce saw no blame on the part of his player, who was booked. "I'm pleased with David Meyler's reaction. If he'd rolled around on the floor it could have been a much bigger incident." Newcastle, revealing Pardew's fine, said in a statement: "His behaviour was unacceptable and is not the behaviour we expect from the manager of Newcastle United ... Sadly, the headlines tomorrow will not be focused on the result or the efforts of the players, but instead on the actions of our manager. Alan unreservedly apologised immediately following the game to the player, to Hull City and its fans, and to the fans of Newcastle United.
"We have held discussions this evening with Alan ... and it is clear he deeply regrets his actions. Alan has accepted a formal warning in relation to his behaviour today and also a club fine of £100,000. The club is now drawing a line under this matter."
However, Pardew's actions drew a more severe response from elsewhere in football. The Match of the Day host Gary Lineker called the incident "inexcusable", while the former Wales midfielder Robbie Savage called it "a shocking act. A ridiculous, scandalous act from a manager who's got previous. Has his position become untenable? It's violent conduct, a three-game ban for a player, but because it's a manager I feel it's worse. I would give him a complete ban from now until the end of the season ... home and away games. But given Newcastle's current position [safe from the threat of relegation], is that any punishment?"
The former Newcastle striker Alan Shearer told BeIN Sports: "I have never seen anything like that before, ever. I've seen managers on the touchline losing their patience perhaps, pushing other managers, but I've never ever seen a manager head-butt a player ... It is absolutely staggering. Frankly I wouldn't be surprised, and I don't think anybody will be surprised at all, if Alan Pardew were to resign over this.
"Even if he doesn't want to resign, the club might be saying to him - we might be doing you a favour - you resign, rather than us sack you, because that will have to be in his thinking also."
Souness, a Newcastle manager between 2004 and 2006, said: "I've been frustrated and upset by a number of things, but I've never gone down that road. Pardew has a track record of confronting people - he is extremely passionate, but this passion this time has gone too far.
"The Premier League is the most watched league of any in the world and people don't want to see that. That message it is sending out, that will be the concern for the Premier League people who make the decisions. The decision makers will not like that.' Pardew's other flashpoints included a confrontation with Arsène Wenger in 2006. Wenger shoved Pardew after the then West Ham manager celebrated a late winner. Pardew also received a two-match touchline ban in 2012 for pushing the assistant referee Peter Kirkup during a match against Tottenham. He said at the time: "I hold my head in shame."
In January, less than a month after having a heated exchange with his Southampton counterpart Mauricio Pochettino, he insulted the Manchester City manager Manuel Pellegrini after Newcastle's Cheik Tioté had a goal disallowed, and was sent a letter by the FA reminding him of his responsibilities. This time Pardew's punishment from the authorities is likely to be much more severe. In October the then Blackpool manager Paul Ince was handed a five-game stadium ban after admitting three charges relating to a confrontation in the tunnel after a win at Bournemouth.
Saturday's 4-1 win kept Newcastle in eighth place in the league, two points behind seventh-placed Manchester United, who have a game in hand.
