FA charge for Stoke midfielder Adam after Giroud stamp

STOKE CITY midfielder Charlie Adam has been charged with the Football Association following his clash with Arsenal striker Olivier Giroud on Saturday at the Britannia Stadium.

Though Adam escaped censure from referee Mike Jones after treading on the Frenchmen during Stoke's 1-0 win, the FA has studied the video footage and decided to take retrospective action. According to the Daily Mirror, the FA's new panel of former Premier League referees Steve Dunn, Eddie Wolstenholme and Alan Wiley "unanimously ruled it was a red card offence" after watching television replays of the incident.

In a statement released on Monday evening, the game's governing body said: "Stoke City's Charlie Adam has today been charged by The FA for violent conduct, following an incident with Arsenal's Olivier Giroud. The incident, which was not seen by the match officials but caught on video, occurred during the fixture between the two sides at the Britannia Stadium on Saturday 1 March 2014."

Subscribe to The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up

Adam has until 6pm this evening to respond to the charge but if found guilty by the FA the 28-year-old Scot faces a ban of up to three matches.

Though there was no question that Adam trod on Giroud the question the FA panel will have to answer is whether there was intent on the Stoke City player's part, or whether it was an accidental follow through after tackling the Arsenal striker.

Whatever happens it will be scant consolation for the Gunners, whose Premier League title challenge was badly damaged by the defeat.

Stoke released a statement of their own in response to the charge, saying: "Charlie and the club are surprised and disappointed to learn of this and will appeal vigorously against the decision."

Stoke owner Peter Coates was less measured in his reaction to the FA's decision, blasting: "We are disgusted. Charlie absolutely assures us it was not intentional. I defy anyone to look at that and say it was. We will defend it vigorously. It is appalling."

There was less shock at St James' Park at the news that Newcastle manager Alan Pardew faces a charge of improper conduct after appearing to headbutt Hull player David Meyler on Saturday afternoon. He is likely to be handed an unprecedented stadium expulsion that could keep him out of the Newcastle dug-out until next season.