FORMER REF FEELS LENNON BAN FALLS SHORT
SFA accused of failing refs with Lennon punishment
told the BBC: ‘I think so when you look at what Neil has done. ‘Shouting in a referee’s face, swearing and then clapping. ‘That is not the standard Hibernian FC would expect of their manager or any other football club.’ Asked if he thought the relationship between managers and referees was getting worse, Richmond added: ‘It will widen when you see things like that. ‘I think Kevin (Clancy) will be disappointed with that. The SSFRA, the so-called referees’ union, will look at it and put a case to the SFA. ‘If you are leaving that two (suspended ban) so you don’t commit (another crime) why not just give him the five matches and then see if he behaves?’ Charged with criticism which ‘indicated bias or incompetence or impinged on a match official’s character’, the former Celtic manager escaped with a censure. Lennon has since admitted he regretted his reaction to the dismissal but will be in the stand for Hibs’ trip to St Johnstone tonight, before sitting out home games against Partick Thistle and Hamilton. On a busy disciplinary day at Hampden yesterday, Dundee manager Neil McCann was also issued with a Notice of Complaint after last weekend’s heated touchline spat with St Johnstone substitute goalkeeper Zander Clark ended in both men being charged with excessive misconduct. McCann denied slapping Clark after his side lost 4-0 last Saturday, claiming that the incident was ‘handbags’. The pair both face a Hampden disciplinary hearing on March 29 and have until Thursday to respond to the charges. Speaking after the fiery Tayside derby, McCann said: ‘I’ve gone over and words were exchanged. ‘One of their players has put their hands on me and wouldn’t let go. ‘It’s hard to back off when you ask someone to remove their hands and he does not. There was no punch or slap though.’ Wright subsequently likened the incident to a ‘throwback to when I played in my pub team’ and expressed his confidence that there would be no repercussions for the Perth men. He said: ‘I’ve seen the referee and they’re happy with our behaviour. We’ve got nothing to worry about.’
THE SFA were last night accused of letting down Scotland’s referees after Neil Lennon emerged from his latest touchline row with a three-match ban.
Lennon, who was sent to the Rugby Park stand after sarcastically applauding the award of a penalty by referee Kevin Clancy and remonstrating in the match official’s face, described the standard of Scottish refereeing as ‘amateur’ and ‘Mickey Mouse’ and criticised Clancy’s failure to award his team a penalty for a handball in a defeat to Rangers earlier this season.
The Hibs boss could also be hit with a further two-match ban if he steps out of line before the end of the year.
Last night, however, former referee Charlie Richmond argued that Lennon’s punishment did not fit the crime. And, asked if Clancy would feel let down, he