Cole accepts FA charge

West Ham striker Carlton Cole has accepted a charge of improper conduct and is likely to be fined over his controversial Ghana tweets.

Cole landed himself in hot water with the FA after posting inflammatory comments directed at Ghana fans on his Twitter account during England’s 1-1 friendly draw against the visiting African nation.

Cole tweeted: “Immigration has surrounded the Wembley premises! I knew it was a trap! Hahahaha.”

“The only way to get out safely is to wear an England jersey and paint your face w/ the St. George’s flag!”

Cole later deleted the offending remarks but not before they were brought to the attention of the FA, who subsequently charged the 27-year-old with improper conduct.

He has now accepted the charge and requested a personal hearing, where it is expected he will be fined or be given a warning.

An FA statement read: “The FA has charged West Ham United’s Carlton Cole with improper conduct relating to media comments. The charge relates to comments made on Twitter during the England v Ghana fixture on 29 March 2011.”

“Cole has requested a personal hearing which will take place before 21 April, 2011.”

The FA set a precedent for punishing Premier League players for their behaviour on Twitter earlier in the season, when the governing body fined then Liverpool striker Ryan Babel 10,000 pounds.

Babel had tweeted a mocked-up picture of referee Howard Webb in a Manchester United shirt, suggesting Webb had been biased in the Reds’ 1-0 defeat to United in the FA Cup.