Three-match ban for Hibs boss Lennon

● Further two-game suspension looms

Neil Lennon will watch Hibernian’s next three matches from the stand after receiving a suspension potentially totalling five games for his misconduct at Rugby Park last month.

The Hibs manager made a personal appearance at Hampden yesterday for the Scottish FA’S Judicial Panel hearing on two charges made against him by compliance officer Tony Mcglennan in the aftermath of the dramatic 2-2 draw against Kilmarnock on 24 February.

Lennon, pictured, has received an immediate threematch ban for the first charge relating to his angry touchline confrontation with referee kevin clancy, who ordered him to the stand. A further two-match suspension will be imposed if Lennon commits another breach of the same kind before the end of 2018.

For the second charge, which concerned his post-match comments in which he was highly critical of Clancy, Lennon avoided a potential fine and was instead censured.

Lennon’s touchline ban will begin with Hibs’ visit to face St Johnstone at Mcdiarmid Park tonight and he will also be absent from the technical area at Easter Road for his team’s subsequent fixtures against Partick Thistle on 31 March and Hamilton Accies on 3 April. The former Celtic and Bolton manager had already expressed his regret over the manner in which he vented his frustration directly in the face of Clancy who had awarded Kilmarnock a contentious penalty kick as they recovered from 2-0 down to share the spoils with Hibs.

Lennon applauded Clancy sarcastically as he was sent to the stand and after the match branded the match official “amateur” and lamented what he described as his “incompetence”.

It is the third time since his appointment as Hibs manager in the summer of 2016 that

Lennon has received a touchline ban from the authorities.

He was sent to the stand by Spanish referee Juan Martinez Munuera during his first match in charge at Easter Road, a 1-0 Europa League defeat by Brondby, and was initially suspended for five matches by Uefa. It was later reduced to four games following an appeal by Hibs.

In April last year, Lennon was banned for two games by the Scottish FA for his part in a touchline bust-up with his Morton counterpart Jim Duffy.

The 46-year-old also had high-profile run-ins with match officials during his four-year tenure as Celtic manager.

They included a six-match ban for a confrontation with fourth official Steven Mclean at Tynecastle in 2010 which was reduced to four games on appeal and another fourmatch suspension for his part in the infamous post-match bust-up with then Rangers assistant-manager Ally Mccoist following an Old Firm Scottish Cup replay at Celtic Park.

Lennon also served touchline bans for criticism of and misconduct towards referees Willie Collum and Euan Norris following Hampden defeats by Kilmarnock and Hearts respectively for Celtic in 2012. 0 Banned and censured: Neil Lennon arrives at Hampden. l Dundee manager Neil Mccann and St Johnstone goalkeeper Zander Clark have both been issued with notices of complaint following their post-match tussle last Saturday.

The pair have been charged with “excessive misconduct” charges after clashing on the Dens Park touchline.

Mccann denied slapping Clark after his team’s 4-0 defeat, claiming his hand caught the substitute goalkeeper’s face as he tried to free himself from a close confrontation. Saints manager Tommy Wright felt the footage vindicated his club but Clark will have to join Mccann at a Hampden hearing on 29 March.

There was more bad news for the Perth club after a panel dismissed their appeal against Jason Kerr’s recent red card for bringing down Kilmarnock winger Jordan Jones.