Mcinnes recalls bags of urine being thrown
Derek Mcinnes was horrified by the Tynecastle touchline attack on Neil Lennon.
But the Aberdeen boss insists Scottish dugouts aren’t the danger zones they are abroad.
The fallout from the dreadful assault on the Hibs manager in midweek is rumbling on.
It will do so until the perpetrator is brought to justice.
Yet as shocking as the Edinburgh derby scenes were for Mcinnes, they were also a reminder that managers are targeted for far more uniquely disgusting treatment on the Continent.
“I think when a line is clearly crossed – as we saw on Wednesday – and a few other times this season with officials being struck, then that’s not acceptable,” said the Dons manager.
“With the amount of abuse officials and managers get, you just kind of harden yourself to it. That’s just the way it is.
“But, to be honest, I don’t think we have a real issue here.
“I managed in a European game over in Cyprus against Apollon Limassol last year, and got spat at.
“We also had bags of urine, and all sorts, thrown at the bench.
“That was on a totally different level. “So, while these sorts of incidents are very rare here, once is too many.
“I do think the severest penalty possible has to be issued to anybody to make sure they are not welcomed into a football ground with that type of behaviour.
“Whether it’s players getting attacked, officials getting attacked or, in this case, Lenny getting attacked, it’s just not on. “It says more about the individual than any club, but I do think the authorities have to send out the strongest messages about these things. “They dominate the talk-ins and the national TV coverage, and instead of hearing about the good things in the game, it comes across as really thuggish and amateurish.
“It’s more than just a public order offence. We have the image of the game to protect.”