Chris Sutton was in no mood to hand Jimmy Calderwood an apology delayed 12 years.
During his regular bouts of self pity the former Dunfermline manager likes to speak to media chums about how he can’t understand why he hasn’t had a manager’s job in Scotland since May 2011.
In a Daily Record interview Calderwood felt that he was due an apology after Sutton had mentioned that his Dunfermline side had la down to Rangers (IL) on the final day of the 2002/03 season.
With Celtic and Rangers (IL) level on points the final day of the season would come down to goal difference.
Four days after competing in the final of the UEFA Cup Celtic headed to Kilmarnock while Dunfermline stopped off at Ibrox before departing for a Spanish holiday paid for the club shortly after the final whistle.
‘Longer Off The Ball Interview with Calderwood including “We were kind of running Dundee & Livingston at that time” https://t.co/Ig1O87QQFk
— CelticResearch (@CelticResearch) August 8, 2017
After 90 minutes the title went to Rangers (IL) who entered the following season’s Champions League qualifiers at the final round while the hoops faced two qualifying ties.
Sutton’s comments earned him a five match SFA ban but no action was taken by Dunfermline after having the integrity of their key employees doubted.
Responding to Calderwood in the Daily Record Sutton said: “JIMMY CALDERWOOD wants an apology from me. I’m afraid he is going to be disappointed because it’s not going to happen.
“I must admit I was surprised when I read in yesterday’s Record Sport his demands for me to say sorry for insulting his Dunfermline side in 2003.
“The first thing that struck me was why had it taken so long for him to come out and say this?
“Perhaps he has a bit too much time on his hands these days and hasn’t got anything better to do but I found it laughable.
“To dredge it up after 12 years is pathetic.
“When I accused Dunfermline of lying down to Rangers I said it from the heart in the heat of the moment.
“Hindsight is a wonderful thing and I clearly touched a nerve questioning fellow ?footballers’ integrity.
“I was angry, felt cheated and my blood was boiling. It was my opinion at that time in the aftermath of a weak and puny performance by Jimmy’s team. Why they performed so badly, only Jimmy knows.
“I didn’t stand there after the game thinking I was out on my own. I was furious because of the way the results went but felt I was just reflecting what tens of thousands of Celtic fans were thinking at that time, as well as the view of a lot of my team-mates.
“It might not have been the correct thing to do but I paid the price for it. I was handed a six-game ban, reduced to five on appeal, and served my time.
“I am certainly not going to go back and apologise for it.”
CLICK HEREÂ as Calderwood reveals how David Murray got him the Dunfermline job.