The Press and Journal (Inverness, Highlands, and Islands)
Hibs row reminds me of SFA Draconian days under Mr Walker
Former Dons and Ross County manager Alex Smith delivers his verdict on the week in football
Iwill be surprised if we see Neil Lennon in the dugout again this season following the remarkable scenes at Easter Road at the end of the game between Hibernian and Morton on Wednesday.
If former Motherwell manager Mark McGhee can be banned for six games for his comments to an assistant referee at Pittodrie then I don’t know what the punishment will be for entering the field of play and having to be restrained by his own players on several occasions in a mad 30 seconds.
What was even more surprising was the sight of Morton manager Jim Duffy involved, too. Jim is a guy who hardly says a word to the opposition dugout during a game, so for him to get involved was out of character.
Whatever action is taken both managers should consider themselves lucky they were not in charge of a team back in the late 1980s and early 1990s.
I served two separate one-year dugout bans during my four years at Pittodrie after facing the wrath of Ernie Walker and the SFA. My first ban came after arguing with assistant referee Jim Renton, back when we called them linesmen, during a game against Airdrie. We were losing 1-0 and they had three players lying on the pitch claiming they were injured as the clock ticked down.
Jim was a bit of a comedian who liked a joke with the managers, so when he came near me I asked him if he and referee Les Mottram had stopped at Stonehaven for a coffee and decided to put a bet on Airdrie winning.
It didn’t go down well. I was summoned to the referee’s room at full-time and then sent to see Ernie, who was SFA secretary, where I was made an example of – a one-year ban and a £1,000 fine, which I paid myself.
It was Draconian to put it mildly but I landed myself another one at a reserve game at Tannadice.
There was a young referee in charge and he had booked four players, two from each side, within the first 15 minutes. When his card came out again for a fifth caution I left the glass office where I was watching the game with Jim McLean.
I approached the linesman to ask him if he would have a word with the referee to tell him to relax as neither side would have any players left at the rate he was brandishing his card. Up went his flag, over came the referee and back to Hampden I went where I was given another 12month ban and £1,000 fine, which I again paid myself.
Jim McLean thought it was hilarious but I didn’t. It was thanks to him and Alex Ferguson that those measures were used in the first place. Goodness knows what the late Mr Walker would have made of recent events.
“Jim McLean thought it was hilarious but I didn’t”