BEFORE Newcastle United had delivered an emphatic master-class against West Ham on Wednesday, St James’ Park had already played host to a different kind of presentation.

Over the course of this season the Football Association has been running a series of disciplinary briefings to the media, both in broadcast and written, across the country.

This week it was the North-East’s turn, when the region’s press pack were invited along to the home of Newcastle United to meet the FA’s onfield disciplinary team.

Given the events of the last few months alone, when the likes of Nigel de Jong left Hatem Ben Arfa with a fractured leg and Joey Barton punched Morten Gamst Pedersen off-the-ball, it was worth listening to.

Tarik Shamel, the FA’s head of onfield regulation, and Scott Field, the head of media relations, were on hand to explain the procedures.

Basically it highlighted how a player can’t be retrospectively punished for an incident if the referee on that day had it seen it. Hence the reason why de Jong was not issued with a ban in the aftermath of Newcastle’s trip to Manchester City because referee Martin Atkinson confirmed he had seen the incident.

Compare that to the threematch suspension Barton received for punching Pedersen after the disciplinary committee watched video footage – as the referee had not seen it – and the line is quite clear.

Interestingly, what was also made clear, was that a player can also be punished retrospectively for more than one incident in a single match if the official had not seen any of them.

Last week, Birmingham’s Lee Bowyer, who was given a three-match ban for replays showing he stamped on Bacary Sagna in one instance, could also have been punished if it was deemed to have deliberately caught Arsenal’s Sagna on the back of his Achilles in the same match.

Had the committee deemed that to be the case, after referee Peter Walton had missed them both, Bowyer could have received two retrospective red cards. That would have meant a sevenmatch ban (two suspensions of three matches, plus an extra game for a second red card).

SUNDERLAND boss Steve Bruce was also close to feeling the wrath of the FA law yesterday.

Even though he did not say anything defamatory or critical, he was asked to comment on the appointment of referee Stuart Attwell for today’s FA Cup tie with Notts County.

But once he had stopped talking, it was pointed out to him and the radio journalist who posed the question that rules now stipulate that clubs should not comment on officials before a match has taken place.

So, regardless of the fact Bruce was actually quite sensible and cautious in his response, he could well have been hit with a fine this morning had his press office not been on the ball.

WITH the weather having disrupted Sunderland’s training schedule for the second winter in a row, Steve Bruce has instructed club officials to look at installing undersoil heating on at least one of the club’s Academy of Light training pitches this summer.

The club have finally received planning permission for an indoor training centre, but that is unlikely to be completed by next year.

As a result, the Black Cats are hoping to dig up one of their pitches this summer and install the same undersoil heating technology they have at the Stadium of Light.

That should ensure that even if there is a repeat of last month’s freezing temperatures next winter, Sunderland’s players should still be able to train outdoors.