Cathro in blast at ‘stupid’ Nicholson

HEARTS head coach Ian Cathro admits Sam Nicholson acted “stupidly” by spitting in the direction of an assistant referee.

Nicholson was sent off during the midweek defeat by St Johnstone and will miss Saturday’s visit of Dundee plus a trip to Kilmarnock as a consequence.

Cathro said immediately after the 1-0 loss that Nicholson’s act was not aggressive and he aimed some criticism at the referee.

But there has been no Hearts appeal and the Tynecastle coach has now branded the 22-year-old’s behaviour “completely unacceptable”.

Cathro said: “Sam accepts he has been foolish, acted stupidly inside his own frustrations, and has apologised to his team-mates for making the game more difficult, with a stupid, rash action and frustration.

“He has apologised to myself for that.

“That situation is completely unacceptable to me because it impacts on the strength of the team. That is the responsibility of every player.”

Hearts slipped five points off fourth place in Perth to increase the focus on Cathro, whose record is five wins from 19 matches.

But the 30-year-old hit back at some unnamed sceptics by claiming their bad feeling would not affect him.

“My feeling would be that just now there are probably more people than normal that are keen to see this club lose, or let’s say not win,” he said.

“We can all imagine what the factors are in that.

“If they are choosing to do that, I would suggest they are probably choosing the wrong people in that I sit here as a strong person, very ready to deal with any of this for however long or to whatever extent people choose.

“Everybody who has to be with us and has to believe and do the things we need to do to make progress, all that is together, all that is strong. No debate.”