Hearts chiefs to appeal red cards after shame game tunnel brawl

Published on Monday 7 December 2009 08:43

SENIOR Hearts officials were meeting today to discuss the fallout from yesterday's disorder at Hamilton and decide which red cards merit an appeal after four Tynecastle players and the team masseur were sent off.

Managing director Campbell Ogilvie was due to lead an investigation into the post-match tunnel ruction alongside Hearts' security staff and other members of senior management.

The club are upset at incurring the equivalent of five dismissals in total and believe referee David Somers wrongly red-carded captain Michael Stewart and defender Ismael Bouzid during the 90 minutes.

Somers reported Ian Black, Suso and Hamilton's Leon Knight to the SFA for red card offences after the final whistle. Hearts' masseur Alan Robson was also reported and Eggert Jonsson cautioned for their part in the tunnel melee.

Hearts are certain to appeal Stewart's red card on the grounds of wrongful dismissal but there is no appeal process for Bouzid as he was ordered off for two bookable offences. Ogilvie and his colleagues were due to decide today on what other course of action the club will take.

A Tynecastle spokesperson said: "We will be reviewing the circumstances surrounding the referee's decisions against Hamilton during and after the match. We will make our decision once we have completed a full analysis."

Hearts are certain to suffer yet more SFA sanctions as a result of yesterday's commotion. They were fined 50,000 for indiscipline last season with a further 10,000 suspended until next month.

The post-match fracas occurred only minutes after Somers had denied Hearts a clear penalty and a chance to equalise in stoppage-time with Hamilton 2-1 ahead.

The Evening News has learned that Knight reacted angrily to some verbals in the tunnel as both teams headed back to the dressing rooms. He lashed out at Suso, the Spaniard retaliated and, within seconds more than a dozen people became embroiled in confrontation in the tunnel.

Christian Nade was seen being restrained by four people whilst referee Somers stood clear of the chaos blowing his whistle in a rather poor effort at halting the unseemly altercation.

Police intervened but were not required to deal with the matter formally as Somers acted quickly. He reported Knight and Suso for violent conduct, Black and Robson for foul and abusive language towards an official and Jonsson for verbal dissent. The entire incident was watched by fourth official Euan Norris and the SFA's head of administration Richard Simpson, who was on doping control duty.

The latter is certain to report his version of events to the governing body's disciplinary committee.

"I have never been involved in a worse finish to a game in all my career," said Csaba Laszlo, the Hearts manager.

"In the tunnel, people were pushing me left and right. I don't know what happened."