John Robertson can expect to hear from the SFA Disciplinary Committee after he slated the match officials following Inverness Caley Thistle’s 3-0 to Dundee United in the Premiership play off.
Trailing 1-0 from the first leg Caley Thistle were well in the match until Kevin Clancy awarded United a penalty late in the first half.
A shot from Peter Pawlett struck the thigh of Brad McKay then rebounded onto his arm- Clancy pointed to the penalty spot as Robertson fumed on the touchline.
While the decision angered the Caley Thistle boss it was the reaction and attitude of the referee and fourth official David Lowe that really angered the former Hearts striker.
United went on to win the match 3-0 but the regular shots of Robertson sitting in the stand through the second half suggested that he was ready to let rip. He didn’t disappoint as he spoke in turn to BT Sport, Radio Scotland and the daily newspapers.
On Radio Scotland he said:
I’ve had enough; I’m happy to go all the way with it. This can’t be allowed to go on. The inconsistency of the refereeing is incredible. It might sound like sour grapes, and it is a wee bit tonight, but the standard is poor.
The attitude of the fourth official and his language towards us was a disgrace. He told us to speak to him so we spoke to him, and then after the decisions, we weren’t to speak to him, we were to speak to the referee.
I was told at half-time [by the officials] that I’ve lost the plot, I’m kicking bottles, smashing bottles. I wasn’t irate. I flicked a bottle and it flicked the back of his calf from about three yards away, and you get sent for the stand for that?
They can ban me for as long as they want. I’m going to start speaking out now because I’ve had enough of it.
John Robertson vows to take it “all the way” after row with “arrogant and obnoxious” fourth official during Inverness Caledonian Thistle’s defeat to Dundee United in play-off. https://t.co/VqVrGpGpcS
— alan pattullo (@alan_pattullo) May 18, 2019
Inverness manager John Robertson has called the officials “liars” who are “arrogant” and said he “doesn’t care” how long he gets banned for after he was sent to the stands during his side’s 3-0 defeat to Dundee United. pic.twitter.com/LaQGZcNfGq
— Andy McLaren (@STVAndyMcLaren) May 17, 2019
The Scotsman reported:
All I have done is flick a water bottle about two or three feet in the air and it clipped the back of his [Lowe’s] heel. I am sure he will be in hospital tonight getting his leg amputated the way he reacted.
After the first goal, there was a water bottle lying there, I flicked it with my foot, it went about a foot in the air and clipped the back of the fourth official’s calf which was translated into me losing the plot, getting irate and smashing a water bottle at him.
It was the biggest lie ever and I’m prepared to take this all the way. To be sent to stand for that is an absolute joke. This was a fourth official who began by saying ‘speak to me’ and then ended with ‘don’t speak to me…take it up with the referee.’
He has lied. I am quite prepared to take it all away. We don’t get fourth officials in the Championship and thank goodness we don’t. I now know what [Hibs manager] Paul Heckingbottom was on about. We don’t get fourth officials in the Championship, thank goodness we don’t. All they do is antagonise the two benches.
What happened at the end was incredible. It’s the end of our season, all I was doing was congratulating [referee] Kevin Clancy and the other officials on their game, I was waiting to congratulate Robbie Neilson and his players and wish them the best for next week, and again in his arrogance, he [Lowe] comes across and asks me to leave the pitch.
I was told I wasn’t allowed to wait on the pitch, that I had to go to the tunnel. The season is over! He then says he will report me again. Nobody was bothered but he wanted to have a go at me. They can ban me for as long as they want. I’m taking this all the way.
He has rubbed salt in the wounds by saying: ‘get off the pitch’ [at the end]. Kevin Clancy was not bothered. The other two officials were not bothered. He wants to make a go of it again.
Dundee United will face Hamilton Accies or St Mirren in the play off with the first leg at Tannadice on Thursday.