Lee Clark has branded the FA's handling of Newcastle United's VAR farce at Chelsea as an "absolute disgrace" with the only action so far seeing Isaac Hayden charged for making post-game comments on the performance of referee David Coote and VAR man John Brooks.
Hayden posted a tweet saying that Newcastle had been up against "12 men" at Stamford Bridge and in doing so reflected the views of thousands of paying fans. But the FA have so far refused to accept they made a mistake themselves.
In a season in which Newcastle have already suffered from a host of poor and more importantly decisive errors in games from Premier League officials, the anger is still in the air on Tyneside. At Chelsea, Kai Havertz stayed on the field despite leaving Dan Burn bloodied and bruised before Jacob Murphy failed to win a spot-kick after being hauled down in the box at the second attempt and even slow motion replays of the clear fouls unable to sway the mind of Melton Mowbray whistler Brooks.
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Clark told Chronicle Live: "The two big decisions cost Newcastle their unbeaten run really, Kai Havertz staying on the pitch after the challenge on Dan Burn. I'm sure if that was the other way around Dan would have got a red card no danger.
"Havertz would have made much more of it had the situation been the other way around. The fact he's got a big lump and blood pouring out his head is surely enough to tell the referee or VAR guy it's a red card.
"The stupid thing is Havertz got a yellow card so if it's an offence then it's surely a red card! Then to twist the knife he goes and gets the winner."
And then came the decision that left viewers shocked when Murphy was hauled down in the penalty area.
Clark reflected: "It's the most obvious penalty you will ever see. The fact that VAR man John Brooks fails to give it makes it an even bigger disgrace, an absolute disgrace. So David Coote and Brooks have managed to get it wrong.
"Managers have lost their jobs over poor VAR decisions and there has to be some kind of punishment for the refs if they get it blatantly wrong. They should be suspended for a couple of weeks and it should be a prompt for them to step up their game.
"Somebody has to take responsibility because at the moment they are making crazy decisions like at Chelsea. The managers have nobody to talk to."
Now Clark has called on the FA to communicate with supporters, players and staff alike rather than just coldly charge Hayden for social media comments.
Clark said: "I think that somebody should be accountable. The managers and coaches are and the players.
"The referees and VAR guys are affecting results. Let's be honest if Newcastle get the penalty at Chelsea they could have got a well deserved point or more but the game turns on it, there's no ifs or buts about, I have never heard one person say it wasn't a penalty.
"It actually could have been two penalties after the initial collision from Trevoh Chalobah and then the shirt pulling on Murphy. It was an astounding decision and Newcastle didn't get what they deserved."
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