DISGRACEFUL

Lennon wants SFA probe into Cormack jibe

NEIL LENNON last night called on the SFA to launch an investigation into Dave Cormack’s explosive comments after the Aberdeen chairman claimed Kristoffer Ajer had ‘feigned injury’ during the Dons’ defeat at Celtic Park on Saturday.

Previously accused by

Pittodrie boss Derek McInnes of ‘laughing and winking’ at Sam Cosgrove after the Dons striker was red-carded for a challenge on him, the

Norwegian defender was yesterday the subject of an astonishing outburst on Twitter by the USA-based software entrepreneur.

Speaking after Cosgrove’s appeal against a two-game ban had been turned down, Cormack wrote: ‘Sam will take his ban, but the compliance officer has a duty to review Ajer feigning injury with his triple salchow and miraculous recovery after Sam gets the red.’

Cormack compared it to another incident involving Celtic striker Leigh Griffiths and Aberdeen midfielder Lewis Ferguson.

‘Griffiths lunges into Ferguson’s knee with both feet in the air. Fairness for

ALL please!’ he stated. Outraged at the remarks that were posted on social media in the early hours of Boxing Day, Lennon could not hide his anger after his side’s 2-1 win at St Mirren yesterday. Asked if he felt the governing body was duty bound to look at Cormack’s comments, he replied: ‘Yes, I do. It’s totally irresponsible and not factually correct. ‘In my view, it’s absolutely embarrassing. I’m not having that at all. ‘Kris Ajer is the victim in this and was on the end of a very heavy challenge. ‘There was no feigning injury. There was no play-acting. ‘Kris is a model professional and I am not having someone from the Aberdeen board, or anyone else, talking about my players like that. ‘First of all, it isn’t true. Second of all, these things should be kept in house. ‘We have been very balanced on the whole issue and have tried to play it down. ‘But when you see comments like that coming out from the Aberdeen chairman, we are not tolerating it as a club — and I’m not as a manager. ‘Every team in the country would want Kris Ajer. He’s a model professional on and off the pitch. ‘It’s very naive from Mr Cormack. I’m hugely disappointed. It’s an attack on my player and he has done nothing wrong. ‘The comments are absolutely disgraceful. ‘I’m not happy. It’s embarrassing for him. Kris was the victim and did nothing wrong. He’s a model professional, an outstanding professional. ‘For a chairman or owner to come out and say something like that, we’re not tolerating it. We’re not happy about it.’ Lennon was, though, delighted with matters on the park as his side chalked up an 11th straight league win to ensure they remain five points ahead of Rangers ahead of Sunday’s Old Firm game.

Goals from Callum McGregor and James Forrest ensured Cammy MacPherson’s late, deflected free-kick for the Buddies was no more than a consolation. ‘We probably should have won by more and their goalkeeper made some good saves second half,’ added Lennon. ‘At 2-0, I don’t think there was anxiety but there was always a chance St Mirren could score, which they did. ‘It was a pretty comfortable performance. I would have liked a more emphatic scoreline.’ St Mirren boss Jim Goodwin took solace in the way his men stuck to their tasks. ‘We started okay,’ he said. ‘We tried to

press Celtic as best we could but then kind of lost our way a bit. ‘The goals are obviously what changes the game. That’s where we lost it — cheaply, in my opinion. ‘We were the architects of our own downfall, in terms of the manner of the goals. ‘Against a team of Celtic’s quality, with the pace they have, they punished us. It’s an uphill task from there on. ‘We’re now down in the dumps after the result. ‘We’ve been narrowly beaten but there were a lot of positives to take from the second half. ‘I knew that they wouldn’t throw the towel in. That’s not the character of the group.’