Jay Rodriguez will defend himself against a charge of racial abuse at Wembley on Wednesday with personal support from former manager Alan Pardew.
The ex-West Bromwich Albion boss plans to still provide character testimony despite leaving the club last week in a sign of the regard Pardew has for Rodriguez.
A three-person independent panel is set to hear the case which relates to Gaetan Bong's allegations from the match between Brighton and West Brom at the Hawthorns on January 13.
Bong accused Rodriguez of making a racial slur when the pair clashed, with the West Brom striker pinching his nose and wafting his hand across his face to suggest a bad smell.