Kinnear set to escape punishment

Newcastle interim manager Joe Kinnear is unlikely to face any further disciplinary action over his attempts to contact the bench during yesterday's match at Everton.

The 61-year-old, who was serving the second game of a two-match touchline ban at Goodison Park yesterday, was shepherded back into the tunnel by a police officer after making his way down from the stand.

Kinnear's presence in the tunnel was reported to the Football Association by both match referee Howard Webb and fourth official Anthony Taylor, who had a brief exchange with him.

However, it is understood disciplinary chiefs will take no action other than writing to the former Wimbledon manager to remind him of the regulations surrounding touchline bans.

Kinnear explained after the game that, after failing to reach assistant boss Chris Hughton by telephone, he had left the stand to pass on instructions to substitute the struggling Jose Enrique.

He said: "That's when I was running down to the tunnel. I couldn't get the phone to work.

"Every time I was getting through to Chris, it was cutting out.

"I dumped the phone and ran down. I was just shouting round the corner. I didn't go on the pitch, so I don't know why anyone is making anything of it.

"I got the substitution sorted, and went back upstairs. I want to be on the bench. I want to see things and act quickly. Thankfully, it's all over."

Kinnear was given a ban in January 2005 for an offence committed during his spell at Nottingham Forest some two months earlier.

However, he had resigned from his post in the meantime and had not worked as a manager since when he was appointed by the Magpies on an interim basis last week.

He sat in the stands at St James' Park for the 2-1 defeat by Blackburn last weekend, and has now completed his ban.

Meanwhile, the FA are also considering Kinnear's foul-mouthed outburst in his now infamous pre-match press conference on Thursday, in which he left sections of the written press in little doubt as to his feelings over their coverage of his first few days on Tyneside.

The former Tottenham and Republic of Ireland defender could be asked for an explanation, but it is understood charges are again unlikely to follow.