Referee Darren Drysdale hit with improper conduct charge over confrontation with Alan Judge during Ipswich clash

Referee Darren Drysdale has been charged with improper conduct over his confrontation with Ipswich midfielder Alan Judge, the Football Association has announced.

The official squared up to Judge during Ipswich’s League One clash with Northampton on Tuesday night.

Drysdale appeared to take offence to something said by Judge after his appeal for a penalty had been turned down and briefly put his head into his the midfielder’s face.

Blues boss Paul Lambert told talkSPORT he wanted the FA to investigate the incident and now Drysdale faces an improper conduct charge, which he has five days to respond to.

Earlier on Sunday, the 49-year-old Lincolnshire official apologised for his actions after the incident went viral among the football community.

“I fully understand that it is important for us as referees to maintain our composure throughout the game and always engage with players in a professional manner,” Drysdale said in a statement released by the Professional Game Match Officials Limited.

Meanwhile, Lambert told talkSPORT: “I’ve text Mike Jones (EFL head of referees) this morning to say have a look at the footage of the head thing,” he said.

“To me, in my opinion, it looks as if the referee went in there and I said to him after the game, ‘Did you put your head in my player?’

“He couldn’t answer it and that’s the reason I spoke to Mike. I haven’t seen that in a long, long while.”

Drysdale, who was appointed to the National List of referees covering EFL games in 2004, has also been a FIFA and UEFA assistant referee and was an assistant referee at the 2000 FA Cup final.