gilmour Posted January 24, 2012 Report Share Posted January 24, 2012 Motherwell challenge one-match ban facing Michael Higdon Higdon hit a late equaliser for Motherwell at Tannadice on Saturday Michael Higdon is facing a one-match suspension for a gesture made during Saturday's draw at Tannadice - but Motherwell will challenge the decision. The striker has been offered the ban by Scottish Football Association compliance officer Vincent Lunny. Higdon has been accused of gesturing at his club's own fans after scoring in the 1-1 draw with Dundee United. "The club will lodge the official appeal before 3pm tomorrow," Motherwell announced on their website. "At which point the matter will be referred to the judicial panel with a fast track tribunal convened on Thursday, 26 January. "The club will make no further comment until after that process has been complete." However, 24 hourse earlier, manager Stuart McCall warned against "trial by Sportscene", questioning whether the compliance officer was making decisions from his own viewing of matches or from what is shown on BBC Scotland's Scottish Premier League highlights programme. If you actually watch it, it's a half-hearted gesture, it's not with any malice, there's no swearing coming out of his mouth, he's not angry with anyone Stuart McCall Motherwell manager And he claims the "half-hearted" act was not aimed at the Motherwell support and that there was no malice in the incident. "It was highlighted in the TV programme and a couple of media guys have mentioned it," said McCall. "But there is no way in a million years it's comparable to what's gone on beforehand. I know totally 100% that it wasn't aimed at any supporters. "If you actually watch it, it's a half-hearted gesture, it's not with any malice, there's no swearing coming out of his mouth, he's not angry with anyone. "I think it was a non-entity and it's not even worth talking about if I'm being honest." Hibernian striker Leigh Griffiths has received one ban and has appealed against another already this season for making gestures during games against Rangers and Cowdenbeath. Asked if he believes too many incidents are now being looked at since the introduction of the SFA's new disciplinary procedures, McCall said: "I think so. "I think you've got to look at it and say that, because you could spend another 10 seconds on the build-up to the goal, the link play, the movement, rather than showing a half-hearted gesture. "It's more about looking at digging up dirt if you like than showing the positive side of it. "For me, it was nothing. I've seen incidents since I've been a kid and you'd look at things and go 'that's bad' or 'he can't get away with that'. "Higdon's thing was nothing." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
postiejim Posted January 24, 2012 Report Share Posted January 24, 2012 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
orange county dosser Posted January 24, 2012 Report Share Posted January 24, 2012 no signs of a ban offered to referee O'Reilly for persistant fuck-ups ?? 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kmmfc Posted January 24, 2012 Report Share Posted January 24, 2012 Absolutely ridiculous being "offered" a 1 match ban for what amounts to celebrating a goal! Take your offer and shove it where the sun don't shine! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Orinoco Posted January 24, 2012 Report Share Posted January 24, 2012 im not suprised with the ban, but it's getting out of hand. If the players can receive bans after someone has watched a tv highlight, then it's long overdue that referee's are treated in a similar fashion. O'Reilly's performances are constantly criticised by fans up and down the country, but still continues to pick up good money each week. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Finlay Posted January 24, 2012 Report Share Posted January 24, 2012 Has Griffiths been offered yet another ban for giving the fans the middle digit on Saturday? No way THAT can be explained away. If not then this is an even bigger joke. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Orinoco Posted January 24, 2012 Report Share Posted January 24, 2012 one other thing if a player can get banned for apparently diving which is cheating, then how come a defender who hacks someone down so stop a goal scoring opportunity and gets away with it at the time is not banned? is that also not cheating? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Haggischomper Posted January 24, 2012 Report Share Posted January 24, 2012 Scottish football is a joke now. Plain and simple. Absolutely embarrassing. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Orinoco Posted January 24, 2012 Report Share Posted January 24, 2012 aye, no mention of Griffiths one finger salute to hibs fans yet again and resultant ban? perhaps our clubs should question the consistancy. http://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/scotsol/homepage/sport/spl/4081001/Hibs-bad-boy-Leigh-fears-month-out.html#ixzz1kKe2GYiv Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Haggischomper Posted January 24, 2012 Report Share Posted January 24, 2012 Just seen the actual footage after ge scored. WTF? THAT is ban worthy? If anything it looked like a release of frustration after finally scoring, giving the earlier sitters he missed. Ridiculous. or did something else happen that isn't on the footage? Didn't a newspaper report say something about running towards the away fans? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GrahamH Posted January 24, 2012 Report Share Posted January 24, 2012 I would question how these incidents are brought to Lunny's attention. If it's through the media he should be told to gtf as they're hardly impartial in choosing their highlights. He should also have to explain what is offensive about the celebration and to who. Crags does it after every win and Phil used to do it when he scored and nobody complained. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Finlay Posted January 24, 2012 Report Share Posted January 24, 2012 Does he watch the FULL six matches over the course of a few days or tune in to a highlights package and make up his mind? Hmmm. Good work if you can get it eh? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maplewell Posted January 24, 2012 Report Share Posted January 24, 2012 What a load of shite from the sfa once again Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phoenix Posted January 24, 2012 Report Share Posted January 24, 2012 One word. JOKE Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
foghorn Posted January 24, 2012 Report Share Posted January 24, 2012 I hope the prick who abused him on Saturday before the kick off is satisfied. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DEWELL Posted January 24, 2012 Report Share Posted January 24, 2012 This complience crap has to get binned. How did Scottish football survive in the 110 or so years before this stupid idea came into being. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
milo Posted January 24, 2012 Report Share Posted January 24, 2012 Major major questions need to be asked about how this total non event was even brought to the compliance officers attention in the first place. The game is well and truly a bogey for this to be even considered a banning offence. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stv Posted January 24, 2012 Report Share Posted January 24, 2012 Game is being run by a bunch of twats with no idea whatso ever ! How can these idiots ever hope to attract people back to matches We will be banned for shouting next Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fatcalf Posted January 24, 2012 Report Share Posted January 24, 2012 Glad to see the club appealing but I hope they go further if it's refused. Time to stand up to this nonsense, would never stand up in a court of law and someone needs to be the one who takes the SFA the full road. Neil Lennon would do it but they're scared shitless of him cos of last season and now won't go near his players. Vincent Lunny is hardly being impartial therefore. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Orinoco Posted January 24, 2012 Report Share Posted January 24, 2012 griffiths gets offered a 2 game ban. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geedub Posted January 24, 2012 Report Share Posted January 24, 2012 Would be good if the fannies that have been abusing him take note but I won't hold my breath. They will no doubt see it as a way to get rid of players they don't like. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steelboy Posted January 24, 2012 Report Share Posted January 24, 2012 this is why i'm against video evidence. tv companies shouldn't be involved in decisions or discipline. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GrahamH Posted January 24, 2012 Report Share Posted January 24, 2012 Exactly. Lunny either watches every game on independent footage or he gets told to GTF. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nethertonwellfan Posted January 24, 2012 Report Share Posted January 24, 2012 Now if this was noticed by the Ref and punished at most he would have got a yellow card (which is also harsh). So where the hell does the 1 match ban come from? A bloody disgrace this............ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gilmour Posted January 24, 2012 Author Report Share Posted January 24, 2012 I was actually for this when it first came out as I was of the understanding it was for serious offences that had been missed. It now seems that every single triviality is now up for instant bans. I Find it vastly unfair that the person charged with enforcing the rules is not under the same scrutiny. Also did they not try the same model as us in England and end up scraping it as it simply didnt work ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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