The fall-out from Wolves’ fiery draw with Newcastle United continues as Matt Hobbs has been fined and banned by the Football Association.
The club’s sporting director has been given a one-game stadium suspension and ordered to pay £4,000 after admitting using ‘improper and/or abusive and/or insulting’ language towards a match official.
Wolves had fought back from a goal down to equalise through Mario Lemina when Hwang Hee-chan was adjudged to have fouled Fabian Schar just before half-time. Callum Wilson scored the resultant penalty and Hwang made it 2-2 in the second half.
However, Wolves manager Gary O’Neil was not happy after the game and described it as ‘scandalous’. Several pundits piled in and backed O’Neil, who has since gone on to fume about other decisions which have gone against his side – notably another disputed penalty at Sheffield United last time. The Premier League subsequently accepted that errors had been made by match officials in both cases.
All that aside it has emerged Hobbs pleaded guilty to using the alleged language, with the outcome confirmed in an FA statement, which read: “Wolverhampton Wanderers’ sporting director has been given a one-match ground ban and £4,000 fine for misconduct at their Premier League game against Newcastle United on Saturday 28 October. Matt Hobbs admitted that his language towards a match official in or around the tunnel after the final whistle was improper and/or abusive and/or insulting. An independent Regulatory Commission imposed these sanctions following a hearing , and its written reasons will be published in due course.”
Wolves will hope for better officiating when they face Tottenham in a lunchtime kick-off this Saturday. Hobbs was appointed sporting director in November last year.
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