THE controversy that is never far from the surface at Newcastle United boiled over with a vengeance yesterday when two of their players, Kieron Dyer and Lee Bowyer, were sent off in extraordinary circumstances after they began fighting each other on the pitch. In shameful scenes near the end of their 3-0 defeat against Aston Villa, an exchange of words between the two England internationals sparked an ugly brawl, the ramifications of which threaten to derail Newcastle’s season.

The Magpies were already 3-0 down with just nine minutes left when the two players clashed off the ball. Bowyer threw a right hook at his colleague, and after an unseemly struggle quickly delivered another, the upshot of which was a red card for both. The decision by referee Barry Knight — who had not previously sent off a player in the Premiership all season — reduced to eight men a sorry Newcastle side, whose substitute Steven Taylor had earlier been dismissed for handball.

The two players are likely to be charged with violent conduct, the punishment for which is a three-match suspension which would include the FA Cup semi-final against Manchester United on April 17, although the Newcastle manager, Graeme Souness, has suggested that United will appeal on behalf of Dyer. “I have been reassured by Kieron Dyer that he didn’t throw one punch, that he was on the receiving end, and that is the road we will be going down. What Bowyer did was indefensible. He is guilty of throwing more than one punch, and he has to accept whatever punishment is coming his way.”

A visibly angry Souness, a hardliner brought to the club in September and charged with sorting out long-standing disciplinary problems, ordered both players to apologise at a press conference in the manner of misbehaving schoolchildren. He confirmed that the players would be subject to internal disciplinary measures, but he said their future with the club was not in doubt. Dyer was already on a final warning after an incident earlier in the season, when Souness had to take him to a local police station. The manager, though, has no intention of offloading them, as he has done already with Craig Bellamy.

“I can envisage both of them playing for Newcastle again,” said Souness. “Players like them do not come along very often. I haven’t spoken to the chairman, but I would hope he says that, if it ever happens again, that will be the end. The people this has really hurt are the customers. People save up all week, go without things to be here, and they come along and see things like that.”

At a sombre press conference, Bowyer said: “I would just like to apologise to the fans, the chairman, the managing staff, the players and everybody that is connected to Newcastle. I am sincerely sorry.”

Dyer, too, was full of remorse: “We are teammates, we have disagreements, but we should not be fighting in front of 50,000 people. I feel deeply sorry.”

It was unclear exactly what had caused the incident. Bowyer appeared to be annoyed that his teammate had not found him with a pass, and a subsequent remark made by one of the two triggered the fight. Souness later suggested that the root of the trouble was a poor performance by the referee, who rejected a string of penalty claims by Newcastle, and awarded a debatable one to Villa.

“What I will say, and I am not for one minute condoning the actions of the players, is that the referee had a very disappointing game,” said the manager. “The result was a great deal of frustration, which showed itself in someone wanting to go boxing.”

It was not the introduction Alan Shearer expected in his first match as player-coach. Stephen Carr was the first to separate the two players, and Villa’s Gareth Barry intervened, before Newcastle’s captain fought desperately to keep a furious Bowyer under control. All of which will be a major setback for Souness, who appeared to have dealt with the disciplinary problems.

In an interview published only yesterday, Dyer had expressed regret for the way he treated the previous Newcastle manager, Sir Bobby Robson. He admitted that his refusal to play on the right wing against Middlesbrough on the opening day of the season had been a “betrayal” of the man who supported him in difficult times. Souness must be beginning to understand how his predecessor felt.

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