'F*cking useless' - Wolves sporting director Matt Hobbs banned for firing insult at referee Anthony Taylor after controversial draw with Newcastle

After Wolves' 2-2 draw with the Magpies on October 28 at Molineux, Hobbs expressed his frustration with the referee's performance and allegedly called him "Absolutely f****** useless as usual" while passing by. The contentious match involved a VAR decision where Hwang Hee-chan was judged to have fouled Newcastle defender Fabian Schar, leading to a penalty scored by Callum Wilson.

During the hearing, it was outlined that Hobbs' attitude and behaviour were deemed unacceptable by Taylor and assistant referees Adam Nunn and Gary Beswick. But instead of pleading guilty, Hobbs reportedly responded, stating, "We look forward to your apology again." The FA charged Hobbs with misconduct under FA Rule E3.1, resulting in a one-match ban (already served) and a £4,000 fine.

The incident adds to Wolves' season-long VAR controversies which highlight the challenges with officiating decisions. Manager Gary O'Neil cut a frustrated figure after his side went down 3-2 against Fulham on Monday and admitted that he has "turned against VAR" after three penalties were awarded in the match.

Wolves are currently going through a rough patch of form and have managed to win just two of their last five matches in the Premier League. They are currently 12 in the standings and face an uphill battle to climb up the ladder as they travel to the Emirates next to take on a high-flying Arsenal on Saturday.