Leeds United await punishment after pleading guilty over Bolton Wanderers fracas

Leeds United are set to receive a fine from the Football Association after accepting a charge of failing to control their players during last month’s clash with Bolton Wanderers.
Pontus Jansson and Phil Parkinson square up during Leeds United's 2-1 win over Bolton Wanderers last month.Pontus Jansson and Phil Parkinson square up during Leeds United's 2-1 win over Bolton Wanderers last month.
Pontus Jansson and Phil Parkinson square up during Leeds United's 2-1 win over Bolton Wanderers last month.

The club will be hit with a financial penalty having pleaded guilty over their role in a touchline melee which broke out during the second half of a 2-1 victory over Bolton on February 23.

A foul by Bolton forward Josh Magennis on Gjanni Alioski led to scuffling near the tunnel, prompted by Wanderers midfielder Joe Williams attempting to drag Alioski to his feet.

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Mateusz Klich reacted by spraying water at Williams and Bolton manager Phil Parkinson and United’s Pontus Jansson were involved in an angry exchange as tempers boiled over.

Parkinson was ordered from his dug-out by referee Tony Harrington and charged by misconduct by the FA. He is likely to receive a touchline ban despite claiming afterwards that he had been attempting to diffuse the confrontation.

Bolton also face a charge of failing to control their players but no other individuals involved in the incident were personally cited.

Speaking on Friday, United chief executive Angus Kinnear said: “We have reluctantly accepted the charge of failing to control our players and chose not to mitigate our responsibility and point out quite how difficult it is to control six-foot-four of raging Swede (Jansson).”

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The impending punishment comes a fortnight after Leeds were fined £200,000 by the EFL over the ‘Spygate’ controversy.

Recent charges of failing to control players brought against Norwich City and Ipswich Town by the FA led to fines of £25,000 and £20,000 respectively.