Fuller was sent off for fighting with Griffin during yesterday's 2-1 defeat at West Ham.

The striker is likely to be fined the maximum two weeks' wages by manager Tony Pulis, who said he planned to get both players together to draw a line under the incident.

However, Fuller will just serve a statutory three-match ban for a red card issued for violent conduct because the Football Association do not plan to take further action.

Shawcross admitted frustration was not an excuse for Fuller's actions but said the players should try to use the fall-out to their advantage.

"You cannot do that in football. It was unacceptable. If you do that to another player, you will be sent off," he said.

"He's a top lad and his frustration got the better of him.

"But every team bounces back from controversy. It may even help us in the long run because we have to look for the positives."

Pulis was not surprised by Fuller, and admitted he had seen that side of the player's character before.

However, he insisted the dispute with Griffin was not personal.

"Ric was disappointed we had conceded the goal but his reaction was poor," Pulis told BBC Radio Stoke.

"He has got a short fuse but it's happened so many times and in the end he has let the team down.

"Andy and Ric actually get on well together. They had a Christmas party where they all exchanged silly shirts and those two exchanged with each other."

Stoke have now not won in six league matches and have dropped into the relegation zone, albeit only on goal difference.

Shawcross is looking forward to the transfer window opening so Pulis can freshen up the squad in a bid to climb back out of the bottom three.

"After being out of the relegation zone for quite a while we are now in there and with some tough games coming up," the defender told the Stoke Sentinel.

"We've got to look forward and hopefully bring in a few new faces.

"We played well [against West Ham], despite the result, and Liverpool at home in our next game will be different to the game at their ground because our place is a fortress."

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The incident involving Fuller and Griffin began immediately after West Ham's equaliser and as team-mates tried to separate them, Fuller slapped his colleague in the face.

The Jamaica international was red-carded for violent conduct and Diego Tristan went on to grab the winner four minutes from time.

Shawcross said: "You just can't do that in football and it's unacceptable. You can't do it really.

"He'll be more disappointed with himself. He's a top lad and his frustration has just got the better of him. It's a bit disappointing.

"I'm not sure what it was about, maybe the disappointment of the goal.

"But you can't do that and it's disappointing to go on and lose the game when I thought we could have at least got a point."

The loss left Stoke without a win from their last six league games, and they have slipped into the bottom three on goal difference.

Shawcross hopes it is not the beginning of the end of City's Premier League sojourn, and is targeting an improvement.

He said: "We had a good start to the season and surprised a few people. Now we need to get some more points and push on.

"The two goals we conceded were pretty sloppy from us. It happened against Manchester United too where we had lots of bodies in the box but conceded.

"We need to look forward and hopefully push on."