The SFA has until 3pm on Tuesday to go through the motions of dealing with the latest player assault from Alfredo Morelos.
Early on in yesterday’s 2-1 defeat from the Tribute Act Mark Connolly had a Columbian forearm smashed into his face after heading the ball clear.
Referee Steven McLean, who was in charge of Celtic’s 2015 Scottish Cup semi-final against Inverness Caley Thistle, saw the incident clearly and awarded a yellow card rather than red.
Across Social Media the incident was highlighted with the SFA at liberty to hand out a two match retrospective suspension.
The Sun reports:
The incident left United boss Micky Mellon fuming on the touchline, while former Gers manager Ally McCoist branded the Colombian’s actions ‘crazy’ during his commentary duties for Sky Sports.
However, Light Blues boss Steven Gerrard insisted the matter should be considered closed after referee Steven McLean deemed the 12th-minute offence only worthy of a yellow card.
But under the Scottish Football Association’s disciplinary rules, compliance officer Clare Whyte can take further action so long as it is ruled to be “exceptional in nature”.
Those powers fall under the SFA’s fast-track procedures, meaning Whyte has until 3pm on Tuesday afternoon to make her decision.
Governed by a separate set of rules thanks to the 2012 Five Way Agreement there is virtually no chance of Morelos facing further punishment.
After gesturing at Celtic fans as he left the pitch last December following a second yellow card it emerged 20 days after the match that Kevin Clancy had issued a third yellow card in the dressing room which prevented a two-match retrospective punishment.
In April 2019 the SFA overturned on appeal a two-match suspension given to Jon Flanagan for elbowing Scott Brown in the face. At the match Clancy decided that it was only worth a yellow card.
McLean, whose younger brother played for the old club that went into liquidation in 2012 will be given a full programme of fixtures over the festive period. On Wednesday he’ll be pocketing another match fee at the Livinston v Ross County League Cup tie.
