The Football Association has charged Sir Alex Ferguson with misconduct after the Manchester United manager publicly questioned the neutrality of an assistant referee.
He has been called to account for remarks directed at Simon Beck after United’s 1-1 draw with Tottenham Hotspur at White Hart Lane on Jan 20.
The FA has taken an increasingly tougher stance on comments which question the integrity or impartiality of officials, and it has deemed the petulant post-match outburst a clear breach of their guidelines.
After claiming his side should have been awarded a penalty following a challenge by Spurs defender Steven Caulker on Wayne Rooney, Ferguson said his club had a “history” with the assistant referee, Beck. “There was no way we were going to get a
decision from [Beck]. The stand-side linesman didn’t give us a thing all day,” said Ferguson. “We never got anything on that side of the pitch.”
According to the FA’s disciplinary officers, those comments “implied that the match official was motivated by bias”. The United manager had already been asked to write to the FA to explain the remarks.
In a statement issued on their website, the FA wrote: “The FA has today charged Sir Alex Ferguson in relation to post-match media comments made following Manchester United’s game at Tottenham Hotspur.
“It is alleged he breached FA Rule E3 in that he implied that the match official was motivated by bias.
Ferguson has until 4pm on Friday Feb 1, to respond to the charge.”
He escaped a similar censure this month after he was filmed and photographed angrily confronting referee Mike Dean and his assistants for allowing an own-goal by Jonny Evans.
Ferguson argued an offside Newcastle player had caused the error and the goal should have been
disallowed. That was perceived by the referee to be no more than a frank exchange of views rather than anything as untoward as a questioning of professional standards. It was not reported to the FA.
If he is found guilty of an offence, the United manager faces the prospect of a fine or a touchline ban.
In a statement issued on their website, the FA wrote: “The FA has today charged Sir Alex Ferguson in relation to post-match media comments made following Manchester United’s game at Tottenham Hotspur.
“It is alleged he breached FA Rule E3 in that he implied that the match official was motivated by bias.
Ferguson has until 4pm on Friday Feb 1, to respond to the charge.”
He escaped a similar censure this month after he was filmed and photographed angrily confronting referee Mike Dean and his assistants for allowing an own-goal by Jonny Evans.
Ferguson argued an offside Newcastle player had caused the error and the goal should have been
disallowed. That was perceived by the referee to be no more than a frank exchange of views rather than anything as untoward as a questioning of professional standards. It was not reported to the FA.
If he is found guilty of an offence, the United manager faces the prospect of a fine or a touchline ban.
