FA charges Kinnear over outburst

The Football Association has charged Newcastle boss Joe Kinnear after his outburst towards referee Mike Riley during their 2-2 draw against Stoke.

Kinnear, 61, has been charged with using abusive and insulting words towards a match official.

He was sent to the stands by Riley on Saturday after disputing a free-kick awarded in the build-up to Abdoulaye Faye's injury-time equaliser.

It is Kinnear's second FA charge since taking over at the club in September.

He is already facing a charge of improper conduct for branding official Martin Atkinson "a Mickey Mouse referee" after a 2-1 defeat at Fulham on 9 November.

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Kinnear has until Friday to respond to the first charge and Tuesday 23 December to respond to the latest.

Newcastle coach Chris Hughton defended Kinnear on Saturday, blaming the "emotional" nature of football for the manager's dismissal.

"We were very unhappy with the decision that led up to the goal," said Hughton. "I think it was for perceived comments, but from where I was, I certainly didn't hear anything."

Kinnear has been no stranger to controversy since arriving at St James' Park.

Shortly after taking from Kevin Keegan he swore 52 times during a furious attack on the media during one of his early press conferences.

Kinnear attacked the "scandalous lies" after several newspapers claimed he had turned up to take training to find there were no players there, when in fact no training had been scheduled.

Kinnear spent the first two games of his managerial reign watching from the stands as he served a two-match touchline ban imposed for calling a referee "Coco the Clown" during his days at Nottingham Forest.

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