Luton Town assistant boss Richie Kyle and Swansea City head coach Russell Martin have been charged with improper behaviour after being sent off at the end of the Hatters’ 1-0 win at the weekend.
Towards the end of the match at Kenilworth Road, there was a mass melee after home boss Rob Edwards appealed over midfielder Marvelous Nakambe getting pushed in the face. After tempers eased referee Dean Whitestone showed the red card to both men.
Both clubs have also been charged by the Football Association (FA), alleging they “failed to ensure their benches conducted themselves in an orderly fashion”.
It comes in the same week that Luton were fine £10,000 for surrounding a match official when players protested a spot-kick awarded to Burnley. Captain Tom Lockyer was shown two yellow cards and given his marching orders for his protests over the decision, which saw him serve a one-match ban.
But Kyle, Martin and their respective clubs have until Monday, 13 March to respond to the charges, meaning the Town number two will be in the Luton dugout at Sheffield United on Saturday.
Speaking today, ahead of the trip to Bramall Lane, Luton boss Edwards said of the FA charge: “I’m not going to comment on it, it is what it is. I think it’s the second time it’s happened and we know the rules and we’ve got to make sure we get our behaviour spot on and that’s on the touchline and on the pitch.
“It’s hard at times as emotions run high, but we knew that one was coming.
“I always touch on it and we’ve just got to make sure that, in those moments, that we try and refrain. If it needs to be dealt with then the captain can deal with it, but that sort of situation when it was a crucial stage of the game and emotions are running high then it can happen, but it’s not something that we want to happen consistently at all.”
