Celtic have responded with a furious attack on the SFA after Neil Lennon was hot with a six match touchline ban.
The hoops boss was given for the punishment for his first offence by the SFA’s Disciplinary Committee earlier today.
A six match ban is unheard of for a first offence and has triggered an instant appeal and strongly worded statement from Celtic.
The club said: “Celtic and Neil Lennon confirmed today that they will be appealing today’s decision by the SFA Disciplinary Committee to impose a six-match touchline ban.
“The matter is in the hands of the club’s lawyers. We are very surprised and extremely disappointed at today’s decision – we believe the punishment imposed was excessive in the circumstances and to our knowledge unprecedented for a first offence.
“We have maintained for some time that a range of SFA processes and structures needed to be reviewed and updated. This view was supported recently by Henry McLeish in his review of the SFA.
“Today’s events only underline and reinforce our opinion. Without question Celtic will be supporting its manager Neil Lennon in his appeal .
“As well as challenging the severity of the punishment imposed, our appeal will also focus on issues of procedural fairness and the manner in which such hearings are conducted.”
The Celtic statement goes way beyond the incident between Lennon and the officials at the Hearts-Celtic game.
By raising the issues of procedural fairness and the manner in which appeals are conducted Celtic are voicing the same concerns raised by the McLeish Report which criticised the lack of openess and accountability of the SFA committee structure.
Referee Craig Thomson had his attention drawn by the fourth official Steven McLean after Thomson had denied Celtic a clear penalty when Ryan Stevenson handled the ball in the penalty box.
The Celtic boss was handed a two match ban today with a further four games added for excessive misconduct reported by the fourth official.
Celtic, with legal advise, are certain to grill McLean’s interpretation of events and ask for evidence of Lennon’s ‘excessive misconduct’.
If the appeal comes down to Lennon’s word against McLean’s the SFA will have a tough task justifying the six match ban.
The SFA statement said: “Following a meeting of the Scottish FA’s Disciplinary Committee at Hampden Park today, the Celtic manager, Neil Lennon, was found guilty of excessive misconduct.
“Mr Lennon will serve his automatic two-match ban for being dismissed during the Clydesdale Bank Premier League match against Heart of Midlothian at Tynecastle in November 10, 2010, plus an additional four matches for excessive misconduct.”
Lennon’s six match ban will begin with the SPL clash against Aberdeen on January 22.
In a further twist to the issue Thomson and Lennon will come face to face again on Saturday with Thomson in charge of the Hibs-Celtic match at Easter Road.
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ahh this is when the paranoia starts again why me i didnt do anything yeah right snarling at the refs and linesman same as u didnt call teh rangers palers orangs bs and spit on arangers scarf its afact you can take aman out the gutter but you cant take the gutter out the man and u lennon are gutter material like the rest of the scum at parkhead
ANYONE READING RECENT CONTRIBUTIONS ON THIS BLOG KNOWS WHO IS THE TRUE GUTTER SCUM WITH THE MOST BASIC GRASP OF ENGLISH (VIDEO CELTS)
Call the papers, we have a dog that can use an IPhone.
Trueblue, I would love to respond, but for some reason a basic grasp of english eludes you… can you repeat using small words.. you might be able to cope with that.
Typical SFA response to a Celtic managers misdemeanor.
Lucky Lenny didn’t enter the oppositions technical area and assault the opposition manager like our Walter done with Mixu several seasons ago.
Media response then was good to see Walter still got fire in his belly.
6 Match ban for a first offense of a young manager shocking but he is a Catholic from northern Ireland or has he died his hair blond again.
But this will play right into our hands in proving the bias within Scottish football.
Oh by the way leave true blue alone at least we know our message is getting out there
Said it was due Pay Back for Dallas and Dougie,
watch video what was MR McLean ranting at Lenny,
was it because his wee Bro got sent off playing for Falkirk,
ps he;s x ranger
after george peats statement about celtic,
can see boycotting away games and feck up reconstruction
I will say it one more time.Withdraw from the SPL.
We can live without play in the SPL for one year.
(It would be painful no doubt)We can survive
without them–They can’t survive without us.
True who? what a plank! keep your poorly educated nose out of my teams business! You lot have enough problems of your own.