Newell keeps job despite sexist remarks

London:

Luton manager Mike Newell will keep his job despite insulting a female referee and saying that women should not officiate in topflight soccer. The Luton board - which coaxed an apology from Newell on Monday, 48 hours after his remarks - said on Wednesday he would remain the Hatters' manager. "The board have severely reprimanded Mike Newell for the comments made, and have warned him than any repetition will not be tolerated," the club said in a statement. Newell questioned the competence of assistant referee Amy Rayner - and women officials in general - after a 3-2 loss to Queens Park Rangers on Saturday. "This is not park football, so what are women doing here?'' Newell said on Saturday in his post-game news conference. "It is tokenism for the politically correct idiots. "I know that sounds sexist, but I am sexist, so I am not going to be anything other than that," he added. "We have a problem in this country with political correctness, and bringing women into the game is not the way to improve refereeing and officialdom." Newell had also accused chairman Bill Tomlins of "messing up" everything at the club. Luton is in 16th place in the League Championship - the level below the Premier League - with 22 points. Cardiff City leads with 36. (AP)