England captain Alan Shearer has been given a summons to Lancaster Gate to face a charge following his controversial challenge on Leicester's Neil Lennon. Newcastle striker Shearer has expressed his disappointment that he has not been given an opportunity to explain his actions before being notified that he is to be charged by the Football Association.
The precise details of the allegations facing Shearer may not emerge until closer to the hearing, as senior FA officials are still examining a video of last Wednesday's game.
Shearer has waited seven days to see what, if any, action the FA would be taking following the incident at Filbert Street and he and Newcastle had anticipated a summons to FA headquarters on Tuesday. But after day-long talks there was still no word.
However, last night the FA confirmed that Shearer was being asked to explain exactly what went on.
"An FA Commission will consider an alleged breach of the rules by Alan Shearer following an incident in last week's Leicester City v Newcastle United match," read a carefully-worded statement.
"The decision has been taken by the FA's chief executive, Graham Kelly, after a video of the match was viewed.
"Graham Kelly believes it is in the interests of the game that Alan Shearer receives the fullest opportunity to explain to a commission what happened and if necessary, call witnesses on his behalf.
"He will have 14 days to respond. Depending on his response, it will be decided how and when to proceed."
Shearer reacted by saying: "I fully understand the need for all players to be treated equally by the FA, but I am disappointed that there is apparently nothing in the FA's rules which enables a player to state his case prior to an announcement like this being made.
"I am totally confident that I will eventually prove to everyone that the incident was not intentional."
Evidently, an official misconduct charge could follow if disciplinary bosses do not accept Shearer's vehement denials that he intentionally caught Lennon.
Lennon has said he will not give evidence against Shearer and last night a Leicester spokesman reiterated that as far as the club were concerned the matter is closed".
