Newcastle accuse Bellamy of 'cheating' supporters

Craig Bellamy will be disciplined by Newcastle United after he said yesterday that the club's manager, Graeme Souness, had lied about his willingness to play for the club after their defeat by Arsenal on Sunday.

Craig Bellamy will be disciplined by Newcastle United after he said yesterday that the club's manager, Graeme Souness, had lied about his willingness to play for the club after their defeat by Arsenal on Sunday.

According to Souness, Bellamy was dropped because he was unhappy at being asked to play out of position and had feigned injury.

The Newcastle chairman, Freddy Shepherd, defended his manager, saying of the striker: "He walked off the training ground saying his hamstring was tight, but what he failed to reveal in his interview was that he had told other members of the squad before training that he intended to feign injury ... In my book, this is cheating on the club, the supporters, the manager and the player's own team-mates ... The player will now face internal discipline by the club."

Bellamy said: "When I heard what the manager was saying I couldn't believe it. I was in shock. I thought: 'Not only is he going behind my back, right in front of my face, he's lying'. I don't want the fans to think for one minute that I wouldn't play for this club in any position. I would play anywhere for this club - even in goal."