Aeroplane celebration lands Lennon 3-match ban
Hibs boss’ hope that SFA would show mercy due to ‘sectarian abuse’ is dashed
Neil Lennon will be forced to watch Hibernian’s first three domestic games of the new campaign from the stand after being punished for his on-pitch celebration against Rangers on the final day of last season.
The Hibs manager was ushered up the tunnel by fourth official Bobby Madden after darting onto the Easter Road turf following Jamie Maclaren’s stoppage-time equaliser as his side hit back at the end of a thrilling 5-5 draw.
But his aeroplane-style celebrations have earned Lennon a one-match touchline ban after he admitted a Scottish FA disciplinary charge of committing “misconduct at a match”.
His guilty plea has also triggered a suspended two-match punishment handed out in March following Lennon’s furious bust-up with referee Kevin Clancy at Kilmarnock.
Lennon had hoped Hampden bosses would show mercy after he accused sections of the Rangers support of targeting him with sectarian abuse throughout the dramatic match.
Speaking after the clash – which saw his side blow a 3-0 lead before fighting back from 5-3 down to earn a point – Lennon said he did not expect to be banned and called on the Scottish FA to take into account the mitigating factor of Rangers fans’ taunts.
“Well they make it personal, don’t they?” he said. “You all hear it. They are singing sectarian songs at me. It’s just a little bit of ‘have some of that’. It was worth it! Trust me.
“Bobby [Madden] was fine about it. I should not get a ban for that. I was just letting them know how pleased I was to get the equaliser.
“I enjoyed the moment. It was a big jumbo jet there.”
Lennon will now be absent from the dug-out for Hibs’ Ladbrokes Premiership games against Motherwell at home on 4 August and St Johnstone at Mcdiarmid Park on 11 August, and their opening Betfred Cup tie the following week against an as yet to be decided opponent.
Lennon will also be on the sidelines when Hibs open their campaign with a Europa League qualifier against minnows NSI Runavik of the Faroe Islands on 12 July. The Hibs boss is serving a separate fourmatch Uefa ban dating back to a Europa League tie against Brondby two years ago.
Jon Flanagan has expressed a desire to leave the past behind as he bids to rehabilitate his career and reputation following his move to Rangers.
The former Liverpool and England full-back became the Ibrox club’s seventh summer signing yesterday, agreeing a two-year contract after joining his new team-mates at their training camp in Spain.
A free agent after being released by Liverpool, Flanagan is determined to seize the opportunity provided to him by Rangers manager Steven Gerrard, a former team-mate at Anfield.
The 25-year-old was sentenced to 40 hours of unpaid work and a 12-month community order in January this year after pleading guilty to the common assault of his girlfriend Rachael Wall in Liverpool city centre.
Rangers assistant manager Gary Mcallister, another former Liverpool colleague of Flanagan’s, has vouched for his character and insists he should be allowed to rebuild his career.
It’s a chance Flanagan is grateful for as he relishes the prospect of playing a role in Gerrard’s bid to restore Rangers as a trophy-winning force in Scottish football.
“I think this is a fresh start and I think it is a platform for me just to build on,” said Flanagan. “The past is the past and this is now time for a fresh start, and that is at Rangers and I can’t wait to get going.
“I can’t wait [to get started] and I am so excited. I just want to get going – I am buzzing and I want to show to all the fans what I am about and put Rangers back up there.”
Flanagan made his liverpool debut at the age of 18 under Kenny Dalglish’s management and was the club’s Young Player of the Year in the 201011 season.
He forced his way into the England set up ahead of the 2014 World Cup finals, winning his only cap in a pre-tournament friendly against Ecuador before having to settle for a place on the stand-by list when the final squad was named.
Flanagan’s career was hindered by two knee operations soon afterwards, which sidelined him for 20 months. He had a season-long loan at Burnley in 2016-17, then spent the second half of last season on loan at Bolton Wanderers in the Championship.
He can operate at either right-back or left-back and believes he is well-equipped to handle the challenges ahead of him at Rangers.
“I think I’m a no-nonsense footballer,” Flanagan told Rangers TV. “I think I keep it simple, I don’t mind a tackle, and when the going gets tough, I think I stick around and I am mentally strong. I think I am different to the fullbacks we have got here now, so it will be exciting and there is a lot of competition for places.
“Rangers are massive, so I think I have experienced that before and that will help me coming in here and to bed in well. The pressure is massive at both clubs and I think I have dealt with that in the past at Liverpool and am more than willing to deal with it here.
“When I got the call from my agent and then spoke to Stevie [Gerrard], it was a no-brainer for me. The size of the club and what the fans are about – I’m just delighted to be here and hopefully I can show the fans what I’m all about. I played with the manager at Liverpool, and he was a big part of me coming here. I obviously know all about the club, but Stevie was a massive influence on me coming here as well.
“It is always good when you go to a new team if you know a few of the lads. But, I think, even if I didn’t know them, I’m a likeable character and I’ll bed in well with all the lads.
“European football is a big attraction as well, and it’s an extra bonus for the lads to work hard, to push on and get back into the European group stages. It is very exciting for Rangers now. There is the new manager, who has freshened things up, and he’s brought a lot of players in. It’s brilliant to be a Rangers fan now and to be a Rangers player. There are good times ahead, and hopefully we can push on now.”
Dates have been confirmed for Rangers’ Europa League first qualifying round tie against Macedonian side Shkupi. The first leg will take place at Ibrox on Thursday 12 July with the second leg in the Macedonian capital Skopje on Tuesday 17 July.