Collum errors exposed by SFA
Red cards handed out by ref overturned
TWO Willie Collum howlers were exposed by the SFA judicial system yesterday — as a pair of red cards dished out by the under-pressure official were overturned.
Motherwell’s Stephen McManus and St Mirren’s Kenny McLean scored belated victories over Collum yesterday as the FIFA referee’s judgment came under renewed scrutiny.
McManus was s ent off f or hand- ball when a shot f r om Aberdeen’s Jonny Hayes was blasted at him from point-blank range in Sunday’s 2-0 home defeat to the Dons, Collum awarding a penalty from which Adam Rooney scored the killer second.
Mothe r we l l manager Ian Baraclough branded the decision ‘a travesty’ at the time and, yesterday, former Scotland defender McManus told the club website: ‘I was bitterly disappointed and frustrated to be red-carded last week, but I do also accept that mistakes happen and are part of the game.
‘I am obviously pleased the red card has been rescinded and I very much look forward to Saturday’s game against Dundee.’
FIFA referee Collum has come under sustained criticism for some of his recent performances — dishing out three red cards and awarding four penalties in two games over the festive period — and yesterday’s decision to rescind the McLean dismissal will do little to improve his battered reputation.
The St Mirren player was sent off for, in the view of Collum, allegedly movi n g his head t o war d s Kilmarnock defender Ross Barbour during a 2-1 New Year’s Day away loss in Paisley. McLean’s two-game ban is quashed with immediate effect.
St Mirren caretaker boss Gary Teale welcomed the SFA’s decision, saying: ‘At the time I was very vocal about the referee. I think that was justified. I’m just delighted that we’ll have Kenny available for Saturday.’
Teale, meanwhile, insisted that McLean is worth at least as much as Lewis Macleod, who moved from Rangers to Brentford last week for £850,000.
Teale is f ully aware that McLean, subject of a bid from League One Fleetwood Town last weekend, will be sold in the f ullness of time and believes the 22-year-old has the ability to play at a high level in England.
St Mirren dismissed Fleetwood’s £150,000 bid and Teale feels it was typical of the attitude held by clubs south of the Border, with Sheffield United also offering the same amount for Dundee United winger Gary Mackay-Steven.
Teale said: ‘I think English clubs chance their arm a bit as they don’t hold Scottish football in high regard.
‘Lewis Macleod went for around £850,000 to Brentford, so I don’t see how anyone thinks they can get Kenny for £150,000.
‘For me, Kenny has shown a lot more consistently than Lewis Macleod and for a longer period, plus he’s played a l ot more top-flight games.
‘It’s hard to put a value on him but it’s certainly a lot higher than £150,000. The Macleod deal might be with add-ons but I would rate Kenny at about the same.
‘Look at what Dundee United have done by sticking to their guns with transfers. It’s a hard one as the club has to look after itself and, if they were to get a reasonable amount of money, it would set them up financially.’
St Mirren striker Steven Thompson will be sidelined for another three weeks following hernia surgery yesterday.