Rangers manager Derek McInnes receives four-match touchline ban for comments made while at Hearts
Rangers manager Derek McInnes has been issued a four-match touchline ban by the Scottish Football Association (SFA) for remarks he made concerning match officials. The sanction stems from comments made during his tenure as head coach of Hearts, following a match between Motherwell and Celtic last season.
The ban, which includes one suspended match, means McInnes will not be in the dugout for his first three competitive domestic games as Rangers boss. The club has indicated its intention to appeal the decision.
Details of the Sanction
McInnes’s comments followed Motherwell’s defeat to Celtic in a crucial fixture towards the end of last season. Hearts were involved in a closely contested Scottish Premiership title race with Celtic at the time, which was ultimately decided on the final day. The specific incident that drew criticism was a penalty decision awarded to Celtic in the closing moments of the game, which led to the match-winning goal.
The penalty was given for handball against Sam Nicholson, following advice from video assistant Andrew Dallas to referee John Beaton. McInnes described the decision as “actually quite disgusting” and remarked, “I shouldn’t be commenting on another game, but having seen that, it feels like us against everybody.”
The SFA’s disciplinary rule 72 prohibits criticism that suggests “bias or incompetence” on the part of match officials or impinges on their character. The Rangers statement in response to the ban asserted that McInnes’s comments were directed at the specific decision rather than representing a broader criticism of officials’ competence or integrity. The club also highlighted that McInnes’s concerns were widely shared by other commentators across the UK, and that the SFA’s independent Key Match Incident Panel later concluded the referee’s original decision was correct and VAR should not have intervened.
The club further argued that similar language has been used in Scottish football by others with less severe or no disciplinary action, raising questions about consistency in the application of rules. Despite the comments predating McInnes’s appointment at Rangers, the club believes the issue is significant enough to be challenged, advocating for managers, players, and clubs to be able to speak honestly about major decisions to improve standards and maintain trust within Scottish football.
Impact on Rangers’ Fixtures
The ban means the 55-year-old manager will be in the stands for Rangers’ season opener against Dundee United on July 31. He will also miss their Premiership game against Hibernian at Ibrox and their League Cup second-round tie scheduled for the weekend of August 15/16.
The fourth match of the ban is suspended and would only be implemented if McInnes breaches the same rule again before the end of the new season. This decision follows a similar ban issued to former Motherwell player Elliot Watt, who received a four-match ban from the Scottish FA for social media comments describing Celtic’s penalty as the “worst VAR decision in history.” Motherwell FC was also fined £5,000 for their own social media post regarding the game.
The incident that led to McInnes’s ban occurred during a period when Hearts had defeated Falkirk 3-0 at Tynecastle Park, placing them on the verge of winning the Scottish Premiership. Simultaneously, Celtic secured a late penalty against Motherwell, which ultimately led to a win and set up a winner-take-all clash on the final day of the season. The notice of complaint was issued by the Scottish FA after McInnes expressed his dissatisfaction with the decision in the Celtic-Motherwell game.
Rangers’ upcoming fixtures include a match against Dundee United on July 31, followed by Hibernian on August 9, St Mirren on August 22, and Aberdeen on August 29. In September, they are scheduled to play Falkirk on September 2, Motherwell on September 5, and Celtic on September 20.
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Source: skysports.com
Nathan Crowley is the Sports News Writer at NewsUK, covering rugby union, golf and boxing with six years of reporting experience. He moved from regional newspapers into digital sport. He holds a degree in Journalism from Cardiff University and completed an NCTJ diploma. Based in Cardiff, he plays amateur rugby and follows the Six Nations closely. “Speed and accuracy are not a trade-off in sport news.”
