Newcastle boss Alan Pardew will hand over control of his team on Saturday after admitting he feared he could lose his job for head-butting David Meyler.
Assistant manager John Carver will be in the dugout for the Barclays Premier League trip to Fulham as Pardew starts a three-game stadium ban, which will be followed by a further four up in the stands in the wake of his guilty plea to a Football Association misconduct charge.
However, he will do so having revealed his misgivings over his future following the incident involving the Hull midfielder at the KC Stadium on March 1.
Asked if he had feared furious owner Mike Ashley might wield the axe, Pardew said: "You have to.
"When you are in the public eye, like I am, and an incident like that (happens), you have to fear for your future.
"Of course it's a relief because when you have made a mistake - and men make mistakes - my mistake was in front of millions of people, but you have to pay a price and there was a hefty price to pay.
"Mike acted swiftly and I accepted that, and we go forward. I have to say that in this interim period since the incident, the backing I have had from the club in particular has been a really big help to me because obviously, it's been difficult."
In the longer term, Pardew has vowed to stay away from the touchline and has contacted the League Managers' Association to ask what help they may be able to give him after a series of flash-points.
But for now, he will hand the reins to Carver and ask him to implement his plans while he looks on from afar.
The 52-year-old said: "John Carver knows that game plan inside-out and I have absolute 100 per cent trust in him to deliver that game-plan on to the pitch, alongside some of our senior players as well.
"Colo (defender Fabricio Coloccini) is going to important. He will come back into the team and his captaincy needs to step up a level for the next three games.
"I have spoken to the group about that this morning and I hope that the game plan will work and that John's job is not as difficult as perhaps it could be."
A penitent Pardew faced the media on Thursday for the first time since his case was heard, and repeatedly reiterated his sorrow over his actions on Humberside, which detracted from a fine 4-1 victory.
He said: "It's been tough for my staff and players and everybody because I took away from what was a fantastic performance, which really hurts me because everyone will tell you that I am a team player and the team is everything.
"That really, really did upset me as well."
Pardew will not be the only familiar face missing at Craven Cottage with striker Loic Remy and full-back Mathieu Debuchy both facing three games on the sidelines with calf and groin injuries respectively.
Source: PA
