ROVERS boss Souness has been banned from the touchline for one match and fined £10,000 after pleading gulity to a charge of misconduct at a Football Association hearing in Manchester yesterday.

Souness admitted using "offensive and insulting language" towards referee Graham Barber during Rovers' 1-0 FA Cup fifth round defeat by Middlesbrough on February 15.

The former Rangers and Liverpool boss was infuriated by Barber's decision to send off Aussie defender Lucas Neill for a professional foul on Robbie Stockdale in the 73rd minute.

The decision proved to be the turning point in the tie and, three minutes from time, Ugo Ehiogu headed in Gareth Southgate's free-kick to book Boro's place in the quarter-finals.

Souness launched a tirade at Barber and said after the game: "I thought the referee had a bad, bad game, and the highlight of his performance was the sending off."

"If you look on the television he (Stockdale) is offside when he's played through, and when the players come together I don't think Lucas is the last man and the referee is actually waving play on.

"At that point the linesman raises his flag because the crowd roars and then anything can happen - and the worst thing happens."

Souness added: "I used to think he Barber was half decent, one of the better ones, until today. What will that statement get me? Fined? Banned?"

Although Barber subsequently decided to overturn the decision after studying video evidence, the FA still hit Souness with both a ban and a fine yesterday.

Souness will now be banished to the stands for Blackburn's FA Barclaycard Premiership game -- ironically at Middlesbrough on April 20.

The ruling will come as a blow to Rovers as they attempt to stave off relegation.

However, the ban does not come into force until April 19, leaving Souness free to direct proceedings from the bench in next Wednesday's crucial home clash with Chelsea.

"We were quite pleased with the outcome, to be honest, because it could have been a lot worse," said Rovers chief executive John Williams.

"But I think it's important to stress that Graeme wasn't found guilty he actually pleaded guilty.

"So we feel one game and a £10,000 fine was a fair result."