Fans reacted angrily today as Lee Bowyer was allowed to stay at Newcastle United after the on-field attack that shamed the club.

Bowyer's astonishing brawl with team-mate Kieron Dyer during Saturday's 3-0 defeat by Aston Villa led to both being sent off.

But it is Bowyer who is being blamed for the incident by his manager Graeme Souness and Toon chairman Freddy Shepherd.

It was announced that he will be fined six weeks' wages - around £200,000.

But fans felt the fine did not go far enough.

Frank Gilmore, chairman of Newcastle United Independent Supporters Association, said: "If that had happened in any other walk of life he would have been sacked.

"I am a pub manager and if I was at work and attacked a colleague in full view of the public I would certainly have lost my job.

"But somehow footballers don't receive the same treatment as other members of the public.

"This is an incident which has been seen around the world and it reflects so badly against the club.

"I have never seen such shock in the ground as there was on Saturday. I've watched them since 1967 and I can't remember the fans being so stunned by anything.

"It was unbelievable. I think Dyer shouted something at Bowyer first but that was no excuse for the way he reacted.

"He totally lost control of himself in front of 52,000 cameras and the world's media.

"If you can't control yourself in those circumstances, when can you?"

Staunch fan Jayne Jones, 28, of Gateshead, said: "Bowyer should never be allowed to play in the club's colours again.

"He has brought disgrace on Newcastle and he should have been fired by the club.

"Six weeks wages is nothing to him, he earns so much anyway, and this was a chance to make an example of him. "If two people had acted like that on a Saturday night out they would have been arrested and I can't figure out why that didn't happen - to Bowyer at least." Andrew Walker, 25, of Ashington, Northumberland, said: "Bowyer shouldn't be at the club any more, I hope he never plays again. "Souness shouldn't be considering playing him or even having him on the bench. "We knew we were taking a chance when we signed him and he's proven that it was the wrong decision. He should have been sacked." Bowyer and Dyer met with Newcastle chairman Freddy Shepherd at the club's training ground yesterday. Following the 45 minute meeting, the club issued a statement saying Bowyer was being fined and revealing no action would be taken against Dyer. A spokesman said: "Lee Bowyer has been handed an unprecedented fine, severely censured and additionally warned as to his future conduct by Newcastle United, following his attack on team mate Kieron Dyer during Saturday's home match with Aston Villa. "The attack led to both players being dismissed from the field of play by the Referee. "The decision to fine and censure Bowyer was taken after Chairman Freddy Shepherd and Team Manager Graeme Souness interviewed both players at the club's training ground this morning. The fine, amounting to six weeks wages, is the highest fine handed out by the club. "In Kieron Dyer's case, in accordance with the disciplinary regulations of the Football Association the club has, on the player's behalf, submitted notice of the player's intention to submit a claim of wrongful dismissal from the field of play. "This claim will be submitted by noon tomorrow (Tuesday) together with video evidence. Both players have had a fair hearing and the club is fully in support of Kieron Dyer's claim to the Football Association." Officers from Northumbria Police will be meeting club chiefs this week before deciding whether future action will be taken.