He was fined six weeks’ wages – the maximum penalty available to the club short of terminating his contract – and warned as to his future conduct.

He will sit out the FA Cup semi-final clash with Manchester United, as well as Barclays Premiership trips to Tottenham, Norwich and Old Trafford during the next three weeks as a result of an automatic four-match ban, imposed because of an earlier sending-off this season at Liverpool.

Bowyer, barring the levelling of any additional charges, is preparing to get on with his career.

“He has held his hands up and accepted the fine,” his agent David Giess said. “He regrets what has happened, but that is it now. He had already apologised to Kieron Dyer privately before the public one today.”

However, the future of a controversial player, whose signing in 2003 saw the club criticised by some fans and sections of the media, is not certain.

Although Shepherd stopped short of admitting he regretted employing Bowyer, he did say: “It was the right thing to do for the club at the time but hindsight is a great management tool.”

Shepherd did come close to firing Bowyer, 28, who joined Newcastle after a brief spell at West Ham two years ago.

The chairman told Sky Sports News: “We certainly considered sacking Bowyer. We could have done – it was gross misconduct. But we thought a fine and a final warning was fitting.”

Asked if Bowyer should consider himself lucky he was still a Newcastle player, Shepherd replied: “He should go down on his hands and knees.”