GRAEME SOUNESS, the Newcastle United manager, has denied an FA charge of bringing the game into disrepute relating to his comments about Barry Knight, the referee, after the match away to Everton last month. Unusually, however, Souness elected not to request a personal hearing from the disciplinary commission that will convene in the next few weeks.

Souness, who has had a number of run-ins with the authorities, did ask for a hearing on the previous occasion that he criticised a referee — after Newcastle’s 4-1 defeat at home to Fulham in November — but then failed to attend the tribunal, citing a heavy workload. He was fined £10,000.

Knight was the referee who sent off Kieron Dyer and Lee Bowyer, the Newcastle midfield players, for fighting each other during the 3-0 defeat at home to Aston Villa in April. Steven Taylor, the Newcastle defender, was also shown a red card during that match.

Five weeks later, Knight was in charge at Goodison Park and sent off Shola Ameobi for aiming a blow at Tim Cahill, the Everton midfield player. Souness did not question that decision but was infuriated by the referee’s award of a free kick to Everton that led to the first goal in a 2-0 victory for the home team.

“The referee was apologising to some of our lads before the [Everton] game for the penalty he gave in that Aston Villa match,” Souness said after the game. “It was outside the box and he said that.

“Mr Knight escaped without any criticism that day and this time he has given a free kick to Everton that wasn’t and it changed the game. We feel hard done by again because of Mr Knight.”

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