Purse accused as Fulham face FA trial

The Premiership's latest bad boy, an indecisive referee and confusion over seating arrangements may all be used in Fulham's defence as the inquest into the battle of the Hawthorns began today.

The club must answer a string of Football Association charges resulting from last month's bad-tempered 1-1 draw with West Brom.

Andy Cole and Papa Bouba Diop were both sent off for fighting while the match was also marred by an ugly brawl and allegations of harassment against referee Mike Dean.

Today, at the first FA hearing relating to that match, Cole was banned for a further three games and fined £10,000 after being found guilty of violent conduct and abusing a match official. It comes on top of a threegame ban the striker had already been given for his sending off.

Cole's extra punishment could just be the start of Fulham's problems as at another hearing the club will face charges, which if proven, could see them hit with a maximum fine of £250,000. Manager Chris Coleman also faces a separate charge.

But the club will be hoping to mitigate their punishment by explaining the unusual combination of background factors that sparked their players' loss of temper.

First on the list could be the role of West Brom defender Darren Purse, who Coleman blamed for instigating the bad feeling between the teams with a reckless tackle on Diop.

At the time, Coleman said: "I am convinced it all stemmed from a bad challenge earlier in the game by Darren Purse on Diop, which was a leg-breaker, a coward's tackle."

And it was the identity of the defender as much as the nature of the tackle which infuriated the visitors, since Purse and Fulham have history. During his Birmingham days, Purse was sent off twice against the London side - for a wrestling match with Luis Boa Morte last season and a bad challenge on Callum Willock the previous term.

Furthermore, the 27-year-old is in danger of developing something of a bad-boy reputation. Although he escaped with a yellow card for the Diop tackle, Purse was cited for throwing an elbow in West Brom's next Premiership game, against Newcastle.

Also sent off at St James' Park, he now faces his own FA violent conduct charge after accidentally connecting with team-mate Ricardo Scimeca.

Purse denies holding any grudges, but Coleman's players did feel incensed by his behaviour. Diop later saw red for cuffing the defender in retaliation. Purse said: "I have been sent off against Fulham twice before, but it is purely coincidental.

"I was surprised when I heard Coleman's comments. You can call me plenty of things as a player, but I don't think a coward is one of them. I am not going to change the way I've played for the last 12 years, though, and it isn't going to affect me."

Rivalling Purse as public enemy No1 at Craven Cottage is referee Halsey, whose contribution Fulham may also want the FA to consider. The official changed his mind on awarding a Fulham penalty at 0-0 during the club's Premiership match with Arsenal the previous week.

With that controversy fresh in their minds, several players snapped when Dean gave West Brom a soft penalty in the first half at the Hawthorns. Edwin van der Sar and Collins John were booked for their protests and the feeling of injustice resonated before eventually spilling over into the 85th-minute brawl.

Halsey angered Coleman to such an extent he described the referee as "crap" in an ill-judged reaction that offers him little defence against the FA's disrepute charge. At the time, Coleman said: "Arsenal are on one hell of a run so it takes a brave man to take a decision which might end that run. I'll probably get into trouble for saying that, but I don't care."

Given his furious reaction, Coleman must also shoulder some of the responsibility if his players were fired up going into the West Brom game. In a typical show of loyalty, Coleman initially refused to fine Cole or Diop before being overruled by the club's board. Fulham will now be hoping that decisive action counts in their favour with the FA.

Fulham's charge, however, is further complicated by a specific count against Diop who, contrary to FA rules, sat in the stand behind the dugout - rather than head for the dressing room - following his red card.

Fulham will argue that the seating occupied by Diop was not considered part of the technical area at West Brom so he was allowed to sit there.

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