I was stunned to hear Alan Pardew "admitting a Football Association charge of failing to control his players" when it was Sunderland who had TWO players sent off!
An FA statement: "Newcastle United and Sunderland have been fined £40,000 and £20,000 respectively after both clubs admitted a charge of failing to ensure their players conducted themselves in an orderly fashion and/or refrained from provocative behaviour.
"The incident, which also saw both teams being warned as to their future conduct, occurred in the 19th minute of their game on March 4, 2012 and followed a challenge by Sunderland's James McClean on Newcastle's Danny Simpson.
"As this is Newcastle United's second misconduct charge of a similar nature in the same season, the standard punishment fine has been doubled in line with current regulations."
Sunderland had two men - striker Stephane Sessegnon and skipper Lee Cattermole - sent off, the latter after the final whistle had sounded as substitute Shola Ameobi snatched a point with an injury-time strike which cancelled out Nicklas Bendtner's first-half penalty.
Both Newcastle and Arsenal were fined £30,000 for a similar offence in August last year after a mass confrontation when striker Gervinho hit out at Joey Barton and was dismissed during a 0-0 draw on Tyneside.