The Football Association was forced to drop a charge of improper conduct against Everton manager David Moyes after reviewing evidence supplied by the Liverpool Echo.

The Toffees boss has been slapped with two breaches of the FA’s rule E3 after being reported as making comments about referee Mark Clattenburg’s performance in the Goodison Park derby in October.

The Echo supplied a recording of David Moyes’ post-match press conference, which proved he did not make comments attributed to him elsewhere.

Graham Bean, who represented the manager, said: “Thanks to the evidence supplied by the Liverpool Echo we could prove that David had not made the comments which were alleged of him.

“Without it then there was a possibility that the charge would have been found proven and it cannot be right that the FA are reliant upon inaccurate evidence.

“It would have been the equivalent of a miscarriage of justice.

“The FA now need to review their whole policy on charging people in the game where they rely on the content of a newspaper article as this episode has proved highly embarrassing for them.

“They have withdrawn a charge because they have failed to ensure that the evidence they relied upon is correct.”

He still faces a second charge of improper conduct following alleged comments about Clattenburg at a press conference the following week.

Comments

Clark Burrell (07/02/2008 21:29:17)
I think The F.A should be embarressed by making a decision on false evidence. Moyes should not be charged as everyone wants to win a derby match against their arch rivals. Moyes was out of order at the time but the F.A have to think that Moyes was only frustated and give him a warning not to do it again.

Paul Lagan (08/02/2008 11:56:45)
I’m surprised that The Echo needed to supply the recording.
I thought the club’s media people would have a recording of the press conference themselves so they could prevent just an accusation.