Warburton calls off cup tie

Sevco have called off the Petrofac Training Cup tie with Livingston on October 9 due to an international call up for FRASER AIRD.

The Canadian ace has played a total of 36 minutes of first team football over three matches this season but his inclusion for international duty has prompted Mark Warburton into calling off the match with Livingston. Canada have a friendly at home to Ghana.

Clubs are entitled to postpone matches should they have three players on international duty with loan duo Gedion Zelalem and Nathan Oduwa being called on by the USA and England for u-23 and u-20 fixtures.

In previous seasons Ally McCoist attracted criticism for calling matches off against lower division opponents with the former Ibrox boss claiming that it would be disrespectful to play matches without a full strength squad.

That policy came to a halt last season when Derek Llambias took over as chief executive with the dire need to bring in cash at the turnstile more important than being seen to be acting like an important club.

Warbo’s decision to postpone the game suggests a lack of confidence in the squad that is storming towards the Championship flag if they can avoid an insolvency event and a proper administration.

Last week’s defeat from St Johnstone was a body blow to the former city trader who reacted angrily to the suggestion that the Perth side had been the better team on the night.

Despite a 4-0 hammering of Morton yesterday the fall-out from failing to progress to the last eight of the League Cup still rankled with Warbo.

“I thought the media criticism was a little disrespectful,” the former Brentford boss said. “I just thought some of the comments were over the top after losing one game of football.

“The players were riled by some of the comments and they were ready for it. They have now played 13 games and won 12. Everyone loses a game of football and we will learn from it.”