The FA has confirmed that a Premier League chief has received a one-match suspension and a £4,000 fine for calling referee Anthony Taylor "absolutely f****** useless".
Wolverhampton Wanderers' sporting director Matt Hobbs made the comment following their 2-2 draw with Newcastle United at Molineux on October 28.
The game included a controversial decision to award Newcastle a penalty after Hwang Hee-chan was adjudged to have fouled Fabian Schar.
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Mario Lemina had cancelled out Callum Wilson's opener but after Taylor pointed to the spot following a lengthy VAR check, Eddie Howe's side regained their lead through Wilson's spot-kick.
Wolves went on to snatch a late-ish equaliser but Hobbs was clearly unhappy at the final whistle.
According to Taylor, the sporting director passed by him as he left the field of play and said: "Absolutely f****** useless as usual."
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Taylor would respond to Hobbs by saying his attitude and behaviour was unacceptable to which he, and assistant referees Adam Nunn and Gary Beswick, allegedly replied: "We look forward to your apology again."
The FA issued a punishment of a one-game ban after charging Hobbs with misconduct for a breach of FA Rule E3.1. They also handed out a £4,000 fine.
Magpies manager Eddie Howe admitted the penalty call was a contentious decision, as did club legend Alan Shearer on Match of the Day.
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“I didn’t think it was a penalty,” Shearer said. “I can understand why the referee has given it on the pitch but then they looked at it so many times in the replays and I still can’t see why it wasn’t overturned. If that was given against me, I’d be livid.”
Taylor was demoted from refereeing Premier League games that weekend and took charge of a Championship clash between Preston and Coventry.
Wolves manager Gary O'Neil was furious with the first-half penalty call, and called the decision "scandalous" in his post-match interview.
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“It was a scandalous decision,” he said. “It was a terrible on-field decision, and terrible that VAR didn’t intervene so I thought they got it badly wrong.
“(Hwang) has a big touch…and then goes to clear the ball. He makes such minimal contact with Schar, hardly any, a glance of the boot.
“Schar’s is already on the way down and the ball actually hits ‘Channy’ on the other foot before he even makes contact with Schar so technically he gets the ball before he makes contact with Schar, so that’s why it’s a terrible decision.”
Earlier this week, O'Neil slammed VAR again in his post-match comments after a late Willian penalty earned Fulham a 3-2 victory against Wolves.
Topics: Wolverhampton Wanderers, Premier League, England
Jack Kenmare