London: Crystal Palace manager Neil Warnock has been fined £9,000 for post-match comments he made regarding referee Craig Pawson following the 2-1 home Premier League defeat by Chelsea on October 18, the Football Association announced on Wednesday.
The 65-year-old Eagles boss, no stranger to publicly criticising referees, said Pawson had been “influenced” by Chelsea players in his decision to dismiss Damien Delaney for a second bookable offence.
Warnock denied the charge and requested a personal hearing, which was held on Wednesday.
A subsequent FA statement said: “Following an Independent Regulatory Commission hearing, Crystal Palace manager Neil Warnock has been find £9,000 for misconduct in relation to post-match media comments.
“Warnock was charged following media comments he made after the game against Chelsea on 18 October 2014, which The FA alleged implied the match referee was motivated by bias; and/or brought the game into disrepute.
“The charge, which Warnock denied at a personal hearing, was found proven and he was also warned as to his future conduct.”
The forthright Warnock, speaking before Palace’s match against Sunderland, said he would have to change his behaviour now he was back in management following a spell as a television pundit
“I don’t think I can change the way things are. I have to change myself,” said Warnock, who nevertheless lamented the decisions that went against Palace in their defeat by Sunderland on Monday.
“At the moment I have to change to adhere to instructions that are currently with the Premier League. Whether that is detrimental to the press or not, I don’t know, but I have to change — they are not going to change for me.”
