TROUBLED Newcastle United striker Craig Bellamy, facing a police probe into allegations that he racially abused a nightclub bouncer, has yet to respond to an FA charge over a foul-mouthed attack on referee Andy D'Urso.

The FA yesterday confirmed that Bellamy only has until Friday to submit a defence or request a personal hearing following an incident at the end of the derby game at Middlesbrough three weeks ago.

It seems increasingly likely that the fiery Welsh international, currently in home-city Cardiff preparing for his country's Euro 2004 qualifiers against Azerbaijan and Serbia Montenegro, is ready to take the rap for the Riverside rumpus.

Bellamy and several Newcastle teammates, including Alan Shearer, Kieron Dyer and Titus Bramble, encircled D'Urso on the final whistle after Boro secured a 1-0 victory.

Newcastle manager Sir Bobby Robson and skipper Shearer later claimed the Billericay official had cost their side the game after failing to spot two fouls on Bellamy and Jermaine Jenas in the build-up to Geremi's decisive goal.

D'Urso reported Bellamy for using abusive and insulting words to a match official.

The belligerent Bellamy is now bracing himself for his third suspension of a turbulent season, having already served two three-match bans in the Champions League for violent conduct.

If found guilty by the FA, he faces a two-match ban. An FA spokeswoman told Northern Echo Sport: "Craig Bellamy was charged under rule E2 which covers abusive and/or insulting words to a match official. He has until March 28 to respond and we are still waiting to hear from him. He can request a personal hearing.''

However, the main concern for both Bellamy and Newcastle is the investigation into the weekend fracas at the Jongleurs club in Cardiff.

The 23-year-old star, alleged to have aimed a four-letter racial tirade at an Asian doorman, was questioned by South Wales Police yesterday.

Newcastle, meanwhile, promised their own internal investigation when Bellamy returns from international duty next week.

Bellamy has already incurred the wrath of a furious Robson, who last week told his £6m signing that he had the ability to become one of Newcastle's all-time greats.

And chairman Freddy Shepherd, whose patience is being sorely tested by Bellamy's repeated misdemeanours, hinted that the £35,000-a-week forward could be facing a final warning.

Shepherd stressed: "Nothing will get in the way of the success of this club. At this stage, we do not know all the facts. When we do, we will hold our own investigation.

"I would not be doing my job if I did not try to clamp down on any incident which sees the name of the club dragged down.

"What I will say is that we will not let Craig Bellamy - or any other player - ruin all the great work Sir Bobby Robson and his boys are doing on the field with anything they might do off it."

At the same time, Shepherd was quick to dismiss any suggestion that Bellamy is a racist. "He may be a rascal, but he's certainly not a racist,'' said Shepherd.

And the father of a tragic Newcastle fan amplified that view. Bal Singh revealed that Bellamy paid frequent hospital visits to his late son Indie while the 14-year-old was battling kidney failure.

Bal, of Rickleton, Washington said: "There's no way Craig is a racist. I speak to him every week on the phone and he always waves to me and my family in the stand before every game.

"I haven't got a bad word to say against him. He's such a caring bloke. He might go out and have a drink every now and then, but he's only human and he has to have a life. Maybe he has been singled out and picked on because he's a famous footballer."

* Newcastle and Sunderland will find out today if either of their bids to stage next year's UEFA Cup final has been successful. The North-East cities are among nine contenders - including Hampden Park in Glasgow - to host the final.

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