Albion manager Mark McGhee expressed shock and outrage today at a £5,000 fine for the club from the FA for failing to control their players.

The Seagulls are considering an appeal against the size of the punishment, imposed following the mass confrontation towards the end of the 1-1 draw at Stockport in February.

Stockport were also fined £5,000 by a three-man hearing at the FA's headquarters in Soho Road, London, yesterday after both clubs pleaded guilty to the charge.

They chose not to attend, submitting only written evidence, while McGhee and Albion chairman Dick Knight spent half-an-hour pleading their case to the commission, comprising Colchester chairman Peter Heard and two FA delegates.

McGhee said: "The chairman and I were absolutely flabbergasted. We felt we put our case. Stockport did not even bother to do that, so we are desperately disappointed at the level of sanction against us.

"It's outrageous really and we are considering an appeal. That can only be against the level of the fine, not the offence, because we admitted that. Apart from anything else, this was the club's first offence."

McGhee is still optimistic top scorer Leon Knight will avoid suspension after the FA charged him with violent behaviour at the end of the 2-1 defeat at Sheffield Wednesday last month.

"That is a different thing altogether," said McGhee. "The referee's report supports Leon and I don't have big worries about it."

Knight has requested a personal hearing. The date has yet to be fixed, but Albion are hoping it will not be until June so that Knight is available for the play-offs.