‘Serious abuse’ to Goldson is probed
ROSS COUNTY have launched an investigation after their midfielder Michael Gardyne was accused of aiming ‘serious’ verbal abuse at Rangers defender Connor Goldson. Ibrox boss Steven Gerrard was furious after details of the exchange, which happened following a flashpoint just before half-time, were relayed to him by his players. Iain Vigurs had just been booked by John Beaton for fouling Alfredo Morelos when Gardyne was also yellow carded for an incident involving Goldson. Gerrard approached Beaton at half-time but the match official confirmed he had not heard the comment in question. Speaking after his side’s thumping 4-0 victory, Gerrard told the Dingwall side to urgently address the issue. The Rangers boss said: ‘What my players are saying they heard, it shouldn’t be heard on a football pitch. What I am hearing from my players is a serious thing. ‘I wanted to know if the referee heard what my players had heard. He
said he never (heard it) so from there I just moved on and went to do my half-time team talk and focused on the game. ‘It’s not my business (to go into what was said). But what was apparently said, there’s no place for it. ‘There’s a campaign for this kind of stuff to get it eradicated from the game. ‘We want to be at the forefront of backing these campaigns. We’ll continue to back every campaign if it makes the game better. ‘This wasn’t one of my players, so it’s not for me to deal with. This is a situation for Ross County, (manager) Stuart Kettlewell and the officials to deal with. ‘I’ll be interested to see how it’s dealt with.’ Kettlewell said there would be disciplinary action taken against Gardyne if it was proven his player was out of line. He said: ‘I don’t know anything further but if there is something we feel is untoward or against the morals of the football club, then he will be punished like anyone else would be. ‘I will get the version from him, get it in his own words and find out exactly what happened. ‘We will need to make sure it lines up with what John (Beaton) has said. ‘I know what the referee has booked Michael for, and I’ve heard his reasons for that. ‘It was for foul and abusive language. That’s how you would bracket it. ‘I know the wording that was used from John’s side of things. John was standing a yard or two from the situation, so we must give him some credit. ‘It has all blown up now and there are stories flying about regarding what’s been said. ‘I am not condoning it if anything has been said that’s out of order, but we will need to speak to Michael and see what happened. ‘What I’m not going to do is throw one of my players under the bus until I get the facts and actually what’s been said.’