Freddy Shepherd, the Newcastle United chairman, will summon Lee Bowyer and Kieron Dyer to his office this morning to deliver the final of final warnings.
Bowyer and Dyer were sent off for fighting with each other during the 3-0 defeat at home to Aston Villa on Saturday. They will miss the FA Cup semi-final against Manchester United on April 17 but that might be the least of their problems.
The players were separated by Gareth Barry, the Villa midfield player, and were ordered by Graeme Souness, the Newcastle manager, to publicly apologise after the match.
Shepherd said: "We have our half-year results at 7.30 am, so I will be at St James's first thing. After that, I will be speaking to Graeme Souness and the two players. I need to see them face-to-face."
Dyer and Bowyer are unlikely to be sacked for their actions - such intervention, however, is possible - but they will be told in no uncertain terms what is expected of them in their behaviour both on and off the pitch, and they will be handed a fine of two weeks' wages.
Barry's role did not go unnoticed but he was anxious to point out that he was only doing what any player would have done in the same circumstances.
"I just stepped in - I am no hero," Barry said. "The incident happened behind me and no one likes to see those things on the pitch so you always want to stop it rather than let it carry on.
"These things don't happen in your career often. I have certainly never been involved in anything like that."
David O'Leary, the Villa manager, was reluctant to comment on the incident out of courtesy for Souness.
"I have never seen anything like that but I don't want to say much out of respect for Graeme Souness and the fantastic fans there," O'Leary said.
"I have a great deal of respect for Newcastle, I think it is a big club with passionate fans."
Villa's only concern is whether Lee Hendrie, who allegedly made obscene gestures to the crowd after the visitors' went 2-0 up, will be reported to the local police.
Last night a Villa spokesperson said the club had heard nothing about the alleged incident and believed the whole thing to be a malicious rumour.
