Newcastle United midfielder Lee Bowyer was charged with violent conduct last night after his on-pitch fight with team-mate Kieron Dyer in Sunday's Premier League match against Aston Villa.
Bowyer and Dyer were sent off following the brawl and both face automatic three-match bans.
Bowyer was fined a club record six weeks' wages by Newcastle earlier yesterday, but the club said it would appeal against Dyer's red card.
Bowyer, 28, has until April 20 to respond to the charge, the English Football Association said.
The case is due to be heard by the FA's disciplinary commission on April 22. It has the option of extending Bowyer's ban and fining him.
The FA is expected to consider Newcastle's appeal against Dyer's red card today.
Newcastle finished the 3-0 defeat by Aston Villa at St James' Park with eight men after defender Steven Taylor was also red-carded for hand-ball.
Bowyer and Dyer apologised immediately after the match and shook hands in front of television cameras.
Newcastle described the fine as the maximum allowed, estimated by local media to total about 250,000 ($673,850),
The fine was the latest in a long line of punishments that Bowyer has suffered in his controversial career, beginning with an eight-week ban for testing positive for marijuana while a teenager at Charlton Athletic.
He was fined 4500 and narrowly escaped jail for throwing a chair at a McDonald's restaurant in 1996, and in 2001 was fined 64,000 by Leeds for a "breach of the club's code of conduct".
He had been cleared of causing grievous bodily harm and affray in two lengthy court cases and initially refused to pay the fine.
Bowyer was also twice banned for six matches for violent offences - by the Football Association in 2002 for elbowing Liverpool's Gary McAllister, and by Uefa in 2003 for stamping on the head of Malaga player Gerardo.
Asked whether the players had a future at the club, manager Graeme Souness said: "Most definitely."
But Bowyer can expect a tough time from some of his team-mates, not least captain Alan Shearer, who described the brawl as "a disgrace".
* Hertha Berlin midfielder Marcelinho will not be fined for striking captain Arne Friedrich during a changing-room argument.
The Brazilian responded to criticism from German international Friedrich by hitting him at halftime in their 2-1 home loss against Borussia Dortmund.
- AGENCIES
Soccer: FA steps in with charge against Bowyer
AdvertisementAdvertise with NZME.