Club Statements

Newcastle released a club statement as Kieron Dyer and Lee Bowyer posed for the cameras shaking hands and smiling:

Lee Bowyer has been handed an unprecedented fine (thought to be £200,000), severely censured and additionally warned as to his future conduct by Newcastle United, following his attack on team mate Kieron Dyer during Saturday's home match with Aston Villa. The attack led to both players being dismissed from the field of play by the Referee.

The decision to fine and censure Bowyer was taken after Chairman Freddy Shepherd and Team Manager Graeme Souness interviewed both players at the club's training ground this morning. The fine, amounting to six weeks wages, is the highest fine handed out by the club.

In Kieron Dyer's case, in accordance with the disciplinary regulations of the Football Association the club has, on the player's behalf, submitted notice of the player's intention to submit a claim of wrongful dismissal from the field of play. This claim will be submitted by noon tomorrow (Tuesday) together with video evidence.

Both players have had a fair hearing and the club is fully in support of Kieron Dyer's claim to the Football Association.

A second statement was then issued by the club attributed to Graeme Souness:

Following the statement issued earlier today by Newcastle United on the Lee Bowyer/Kieron Dyer incident, Graeme Souness would like to issue the following additional statement:

"I wish to put into context the words I used this morning when interviewed live on Sky Sports News whilst we did the photo-call with Lee and Kieron.

"When I said the players were 'having a laugh about it', I did not mean the seriousness of the incident, which cannot be understated, I was meaning the implication put out by certain members of the media that the two of them had been at loggerheads for a long time and it was that which had sparked the incident off.

Everyone at Newcastle United knows that this is completely without foundation, on the contrary, the players get on very well together, and that's why the two players were having a laugh about it, whilst at the same time fully appreciating the seriousness of the incident.

"Of course I cannot condone the incident in any way whatsoever, hence the extremely firm action the Club has taken against Lee Bowyer. Clearly we will not tolerate any misconduct at this football club.

"I can assure the fans that we will be focused on trying to do our best between now until the end of the season.

"We have got everything to play for and the important thing is that we put this thing behind us and concentrate on trying to win a trophy for this football club.

"They have been speaking over the weekend and had a laugh about it - they regret it.

"We have appealed on behalf of Kieron," Souness added in relation to the player’s suspension.