Steve Bruce has admitted a charge of improper conduct towards doping-control officials.
The Birmingham City manager has been charged by the Football Association over an incident after his team’s Championship match at Plymouth Argyle on November 4.
Bruce, who was accused on January 19, has requested a personal hearing.
"I've been charged for my remarks to the doping-control people who were on the pitch at Plymouth," Bruce said. "I'm disappointed and I'll be going for a personal hearing."
Bruce had been reported for swearing at the officers who had made an unannounced visit to carry out random tests on players from both sides after the match.
There was never a suggestion that Bruce was trying to prevent the officers from carrying out the tests, but was angry that they were interfering with his post-match plans. Bruce is likely to be fined but not a significant sum. Steve Cotterill, the Burnley manager, was fined #1,500 for two similar incidents last season.
This has been a bad week for Bruce. Not only did Birmingham endure a 3-1 defeat at home to Southend United on Tuesday night, but the manager was incensed that Matthew Upson was sold to West Ham United for a fee that will probably rise to #7.5 million.
Bruce made no secret of his desire to keep hold of Upson and said that only a "mega-bucks offer" would encourage Birmingham to sell. But Upson was so determined to leave St Andrew's that he contacted the owners of the club, David Gold and David Sullivan, in person.
Realising that having an unhappy player at the club was not conducive to harmony within the dressing room, the Birmingham directors relented and Upson has signed a four-and-a-half year contract at Upton Park.
He admitted telephoning David Sullivan, the Birmingham co-owner who was on holiday in Barbados, to discuss the possibility of joining West Ham. Upson had refused to sign a new contract at St Andrew's and said that Sullivan is exaggerating.
"I think the words ‘insisted that he release me’ are a bit strong," Upson said. "We had a telephone conversation. I wanted to get a bit of clarification out of what was happening because I knew that he, ultimately, was the decision-maker.
"Not once did I say he must release me or demand to be released because I can’t control his decision. I expressed a will to want to speak to West Ham if they agreed a deal.
"I always maintained my 100 per cent commitment to Birmingham City while I was there. I refused two new contracts, so they were aware I wouldn’t sign a new deal and I think it ended up being a big decision with the offer they received and they decided it was a good offer."
Alan Curbishley, the West Ham manager, was resigned to missing out on Upson until a dramatic U-turn by Birmingham on Tuesday night.
"Suddenly it changed on Tuesday, it changed dramatically after our game against Liverpool and Birmingham’s game against Southend," Curbishley said.
"I’ve been on the receiving end of that before. I can understand Birmingham’s decision. I can understand how unhappy they are because they’ve lost a quality player."
Upson has refused to reveal whether he is free to walk out on West Ham should they suffer relegation from the Barclays Premiership.
He is expected to make his West Ham debut tomorrow when he returns to Birmingham ... to face Aston Villa.
Birmingham's match away to Leicester City, postponed on January 20 for safety reasons, will take place at the Walkers Stadium on Tuesday April 17 (7.45pm). Blues fans who retained their tickets from the original date will be able to use those.
