In terms of the most shocking incidents in Premier League history, the on-pitch fight between Newcastle United teammates Kieron Dyer and Lee Bowyer in April 2005 is right up there.The pair exchanged blows in the middle of St Jamesâ Park, three minutes after Aston Villa had taken a 3-0 lead against the Magpies, when Bowyerâs angry complaints that Dyer wouldnât pass him the ball led to him being told: âThe reason I donât pass you the ball is because youâre f****** s***â.Both players were shown straight red cards as Newcastle, managed by the fearsome Graeme Souness at the time, were reduced to nine men.Players from both teams tried to break up the fight but got there too late. Punches were thrown, Bowyerâs shirt was ripped and the teammates were dismissed in disgrace."You don't want to see that happen on the pitch, it's only right to try and break it up," Villa midfielder Gareth Barry said after the match, per BBC Sport."I've never seen it in a game I've been involved in, there was obviously a lot of frustration boiling over."If you look at the two players involved they just want to do everything to win the game. Both players lost their head and it's unfortunate but I'm sure they regret it."Â
What did Jean-Alain Boumsong say to Dyer and Bowyer?
Speaking years later on the True Geordie Podcast, Dyer revealed what happened afterwards inside the dressing room - and it was pure chaos.
âWeâre still calling each other p****s, all sorts, and you hear the final whistle go,â Dyer recalled. âWhen you hear the studs in the tunnel, you can hear them coming. But there was just one set of studs *sprinting* up the tunnel.
âYouâre thinking who the hellâs that? It was [Jean-Alain] Boumsong. Boumsongâs like: âYou want to fight?! Fight now!â
âIâm thinking in my head: âYeah, Iâll fight him now. I want some revenge!ââ
What did Alan Shearer say to Dyer and Bowyer?
The rest of the Newcastle players soon followed, including captain Alan Shearer, who was livid.
Dyer continued: âAnd then the other lads, including Al, come in - and thatâs most angry Iâve ever seen Al.
âHe was like: âYou f***ing selfish p****s!â - going, honestly, mad.
âBut he obviously knew this was his last season. I think he agreed for the season after but we were in the FA Cup semi-final and he knew weâd be suspended, so heâs f***ing raging.
âI didnât realise at the time, so from anger Iâve then gone to feeling âoh f***, Iâve let the team down againâ.â
What did Graeme Souness say to Dyer and Bowyer?
Souness was next to get involved.
Dyer said: âThen [Graeme] Souness comes in and says âIâm now going outside to the media to watch the incident, if I think I know what Iâve seen then I will fight the pair of youâ.
âThen Iâm thinking âoh, f***ing hell!ââ
âIâve gone from anger to âhere we go again, Iâve won the Geordies back and now Iâm back to square one, I cannot believe what is happening to meâ.
âSouness has watched it, come back in and he just rips into Bowyer. He tells me Iâm exempt and says to Bowyer: âWhat the f*** are you doing!?â.â
NEWCASTLE, ENGLAND - APRIL 2 : Kieron Dyer and Lee Bowyer apologise for their behaviour as they attend a post match press conference with manager Graeme Souness, after the FA Barclays Premiership match between Newcastle United and Aston Villa at St James Park on April 2, 2005 in Newcastle, England. (Photo by Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images)
What did Freddy Shepherd say to Dyer and Bowyer?
Dyer will never forget the words of the clubâs chairman, Freddy Shepherd, who passed away in 2017.
âThen Freddy comes down and Iâll never forget it,â the former England international said. âThis is the chairman of a football club. He comes down and says to me: âYou should have headbutted him! What he did to you, how you showed such much refrain, you should have headbutted him!â
NEWCASTLE, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 22: Freddie Shepherd, Chairman of Newcastle United looks on during the Barclays Premiership match between Middlesbrough and Newcastle United at the Riverside Stadium on October 22, 2006 in Middlesbrough, England. (Photo by Matthew Lewis/Getty Images)
âSo then theyâre all piling in on Bowyer and Iâve gone from feeling sorry for myself to feeling sorry for Bowyer because heâs getting all the s**t.
âThey were telling him he had to take six weeks wages or heâd be sacked, so Iâm feeling sorry for him now.â
Watch Dyer tell the story here:
What happened after the Dyer and Bowyer fight?
Bowyer and Dyer flanked a seething Souness in the post-match press conference and each issued an apology.
NEWCASTLE, ENGLAND - APRIL 2: Kieron Dyer and Lee Bowyer apologise for their behaviour as they attend a post match press conference with manager Graeme Souness, after the FA Barclays Premiership match between Newcastle United and Aston Villa at St James Park on April 2, 2005 in Newcastle, England. (Photo by Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images)
Souness described Bowyerâs actions as âindefensibleâ and the midfielder was handed a seven-game ban by the Football Association, plus a £30,000 fine on top of being fined six weeksâ wages by his club - estimated to be around £200,000.
Dyer, meanwhile, served a three-match suspension after the FA rejected Newcastleâs appeal against his red card.
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