McManus's cup final plea falls on deaf ears at SFA

Published on Friday 27 April 2007 01:03

THE Scottish Football Association last night firmly slammed the door shut on Dunfermline Athletic striker Tam McManus's chances of playing in the Tennent's Scottish Cup final.

The 26-year-old has appealed to the SFA to let him play against Celtic at Hampden next month after questioning cup rules. McManus was an unused substitute for former club Falkirk earlier in the cup campaign at Berwick Rangers and therefore is deemed cup-tied for the final.

On-loan Dunfermline midfielder Stephen Glass is in a similar position after he was unused in the Hibs squad for a third-round tie at Aberdeen in January.

McManus, who missed Tuesday's 1-0 semi-final win over Hibs because of the rules, claims the situation is an injustice and his agent, Charlie Duddy, contacted the SFA in the slim hope the forward could be made available for the 26 May final.

But the SFA has angrily hit back at McManus's plea despite admitting clubs can vote to try and change the substitute rule this summer. An SFA spokesman said: "You can't change rules midway through a season. Nobody seems to have noticed that Stephen Glass of Dunfermline is also in the same position.

"I wonder whether Tam McManus has also spoken to his team-mates over whether they would be willing to give up their place for him to play in the final instead. But the rules are reviewed every year. If clubs want to change them it's very straightforward. We are open to any member club proposing a change which can then go to a vote at our agm on 1 June."

Speaking earlier this month, McManus labelled the rule "disgraceful". Now his agent, Duddy, claims it is "unfair, unjust and a restriction of trade".

"Tam was cup-tied because he was called on to the bench shortly before the game against Berwick due to a late injury to another player," added Duddy.

"He had not been named in the squad at that point. Now, without kicking a ball and in any way influencing the outcome of a cup match, and despite him never appearing in this season's competition, he is denied the right to show his talents, and appear in a national final."

Dunfermline, meanwhile, have been told they will enter the UEFA Cup at the first-round stage if they beat Celtic in the final. If the Pars lose to the SPL champions then they would instead enter the UEFA Cup at the final qualifying round.