FA to investigate Newcastle fracas

Pa,Damian Spellman
Thursday 23 July 2009 16:53 BST
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The Football Association is to investigate the trouble which flared during and after Tuesday night's friendly clash between Huddersfield and Newcastle.

Match referee Jon Moss has included details of the bust-ups in his report, and disciplinary chiefs are now looking into the matter.

An FA spokesman told Press Association Sport: "It has been reported to us and we are looking into it."

Up to 20 players were involved in a melee at half-time in the game at the Galpharm Stadium after Magpies defender Habib Beye and Terriers counterpart Andy Butler and then skipper Peter Clarke became embroiled in a heated exchange.

That incident is understood to have continued in the tunnel, and there were unseemly scenes too on the final whistle with Fabricio Coloccini and Lee Novak locking horns.

Beye is understood to have sustained an injury after being caught by a kick during the disturbance in the tunnel which could keep him out of Saturday's game at Leyton Orient.

Both Newcastle's caretaker boss Chris Hughton and Huddersfield counterpart Lee Clark, the former Magpies midfielder, were quick to play down the confrontations.

However, Mr Moss's observations will now be taken into account as the FA decides whether or not further action should be taken.

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