Carroll case to be decided by FA arbitration panel

West Ham United will know later on Friday whether Andy Carroll will have to complete a three-match suspension after the English FA agreed to an arbitration hearing following a failed appeal against his red card in a Premier League match last week.

West Ham co-chairman David Gold said on Thursday he intended to take legal action following the FA's decision to uphold Carroll's dismissal by referee Howard Webb after the striker clashed with Swansea defender Chico Flores at Upton Park.

In a statement on their website on Friday (www.whufc.com), West Ham confirmed they had been granted another hearing with the governing body and did not, therefore, intend to take their grievances through the courts.

The statement read: "West Ham United are today (Friday) appearing before an FA Arbitral Tribunal in a challenge to the FA Regulatory Commission's decision relating to the three-match suspension of Andy Carroll.

"The club is concerned that the Regulatory Commission did not apply the correct test under the rule, and denied the club procedural fairness.

"West Ham's complaint is made under the FA Rules, and the club shall accept and abide by the decision of the FA Arbitral Tribunal.

"The club has no intention of taking the issue to the courts but simply seeks a fair determination of its rights under the FA's rules."

On Thursday, Gold said the ruling could affect West Ham's chances of avoiding relegation.

"There is nowhere to go other than to seek some kind of legal redress," he said. Although by Friday, the position had changed with the FA arbitral hearing taking place rather than West Ham pursuing an external legal route.

The FA ruled that Webb was correct to send Carroll off for violent conduct and banned the player for three matches. An independent regulatory commission ruling rejected Carroll and West Ham's appeal on Wednesday.

West Ham, who visit Aston Villa on Saturday, are just inside the relegation zone in 18th place on 22 points from 24 matches, one point below West Bromwich Albion and Crystal Palace.

Image: Andy Carroll

Photograph: Mike Hewitt/Getty Images