Mark Hughes handed £8,000 FA fine

Stoke City manager Mark Hughes has been fined £8,000 by the Football Association after admitting a misconduct charge for his touchline dismissal against Newcastle United.

The Welshman was sent to the stands in the 5-1 defeat to the Magpies at St James' Park last month following his angry reaction to Glenn Whelan's red card.

He was seen to kick a ball onto the pitch and throw a training jacket to the floor in his frustration surrounding Martin Atkinson's decision in a match in which Marc Wilson was given his marching orders as well as Whelan and Hughes.

Speaking on Tuesday, the former Manchester United player told reporters: "I got pulled up on the fact I kicked a ball onto the pitch. That's a fact, so there's no way around it. I can't really defend that, that's what I did. If that's what the issue is, I'm going to have to hold my hands up."

Stoke are planning to write an official letter of complaint to the FA regarding Atkinson's performance in the Boxing Day clash.