Grant contest FA charge

West Ham United manager Avram Grant has denied a charge of improper conduct relating to comments made about referee Mike Jones.

Grant questioned the performance of Jones in the wake of West Ham’s 2-1 defeat to Stoke City in an FA Cup quarter-final at the Britannia Stadium on March 13.Jones missed an apparent handball by striker Frederic Piquionne in the build-up to West Ham’s opener. He then awarded a penalty to Stoke just 13 seconds into the second half. After the match, Grant suggested the referee had deliberately attempted to make amends for his earlier oversight. “I think maybe this is the reason the referee started the second half very strange,” Grant said, referring to Piquionne’s unpunished infraction. “Until they scored (the second) goal he gave fouls, a penalty, everything for them.””Maybe he felt a little bit guilty. I think it was the effect of the first goal for us.”The FA confirmed on Monday that the 56-year-old Israeli will now face a disciplinary hearing. “West Ham United manager Avram Grant has denied a charge of improper conduct,” the FA said in a statement.”The charge relates to comments made about match official Mike Jones in post-match interviews following West Ham United’s fixture with Stoke City at the Birtannia (sic) Stadium on Sunday 13 March 2011.””A personal hearing will be scheduled at a date no later than 7 April 2011.”West Ham are 17th in the English Premier League table, clear of the relegation zone on goal difference only. Their next match is at home to league leaders Manchester United on April 2.