The Toon captain picked up his fourth booking of the season in Wednesday night’s defeat to West Bromwich Albion.
And Coloccini will be hit with an automatic one-game ban if he’s shown a yellow card in either of the club’s next two games, the Boxing Day visit to Bolton Wanderers and the fixture against Liverpool at Anfield on December 30.
However, the slate will be wiped clean after December 31, though should any player accrue 10 bookings by the second Sunday in April, they will be hit with a two-match suspension.
Alan Pardew: “Colo’s very important, but you can’t legislate for (bookings).
“He has to be committed in the challenge, and hopefully the referee doesn’t deem that it’s a yellow card.
“I won’t tell him to play any differently.
“I don’t think that’s a problem for him.
“He puts himself on the line.
“He needed a bit more help (against West Brom). The back four were a little bit stretched. That’s something we’ll address at Bolton.”