Middlesbrough Football Club News

• Nickname:Boro
• Founded:1876
• Manager:Tony Mowbray

• Ground:Riverside Stadium
• Capacity:35,049

Boro plead guilty to FA charge

04 Feb 2009 - 16:41:52

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Middlesbrough have admitted an FA charge of failing to control their players during last month's 3-0 defeat at West Brom.

After Mark Halsey had sent Didier Digard off, the Boro players surrounded the referee and contested the decision.

Gareth Southgate's side were already 2-0 behind when Digard's two-footed 62nd-minute challenge on Borja Valero was deemed to be a red card offence.

Boro have requested a personal hearing which will be scheduled in due course.

Meanwhile, it has been revealed that the club turned down a bid from Portsmouth on Monday to take midfielder Gary O'Neil back to Fratton Park.

Stoke City were also reported to have expressed late interest in O'Neil, but Southgate said: "We always said that none of our players were for sale.

"We looked to try to boost the squad if we could but, other than bringing in Marlon King, we haven't been able to.

"There are lots of reasons, but it's hard anyway to bring players to the club, particularly at this time of year, and mainly because of the finances of other clubs.

"Obviously our league position is difficult, as is getting players other clubs don't want to sell.

"We're comfortable with that situation as it exists and have to work within it. These are difficult times in football and we have to do things the right way and which suit the club's situation."