Macari charged with 'violent behaviour'

Macari insists he did not realise what he had done

Huddersfield manager Lou Macari has been charged with violent behaviour towards a match official and could be hit with a 12-game touchline ban by the Football Association if he is found guilty.

Macari appeared to shove Barry Wade in the chest as tempers flared following a challenge by Town midfielder Simon Baldry on Portsmouth's Ceri Hughes in the 1-1 draw on Saturday.

The former Celtic boss insisted he did not realise what he had done, but was ordered from the dug-out and later moved from his seat in the stand.

Strong punishments

The FA are still awaiting referee Paul Rejer's report into the incident, but with a tougher code of conduct in place, they will mete out sever punishment to managers who physically confront match officials.

Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger is in the process of appealing against a 12-match ban imposed on him following a tunnel incident at the end of the Gunners' opening Premiership game against Sunderland in August.

Under the new FA code of conduct, Macari will receive a similar 12-match penalty unless he can successfully prove his innocence.

But the incident at Portsmouth was not the only the FA's disciplinary committee are waiting for reports on, after a highly-charged weekend.

Player brawl.

There was a brawl during Stockport's home encounter with Barnsley on Saturday and Sunday's Lancashire derby at Turf Moor where Kevin Ball's lunge on Garry Flitcroft sparked ugly scenes involving a large number of Burnley and Blackburn players.

Veteran Clarets midfielder Ball was sent off for the challenge.