Referee admits error over Hearts captain dismissal

Published on Tuesday 8 December 2009 22:37

HEARTS captain Michael Stewart could have his red card at Hamilton rescinded after referee David Somers referred the incident to a Scottish Football Association review panel.

&#149 Vladimir Romanov

Stewart has appealed his 48th-minute sending off in Sunday's stormy Clydesdale Bank Premier League defeat at New Douglas Park, which saw a further four players red carded during and after the game.

Somers reviewed footage of Stewart's tangle with Hamilton skipper Alex Neil yesterday and admitted he was unhappy with his decision to red card the midfielder.

An SFA review panel is expected to examine the incident on Friday and it is understood they are highly unlikely to allow the dismissal to stand.

That would spare Stewart, 28, a three-match ban starting with Saturday's clash against Dundee United.

Yesterday's development was welcome news for beleaguered Hearts, who will be without Ismael Bouzid, Ian Black and Suso Santana through suspension this weekend.

The latter two were handed the equivalent of post-match red cards on Sunday, Suso for his part in sparking a mass brawl in the tunnel after clashing with Hamilton striker Leon Knight.

Black saw red for abusive and insulting behaviour at the final whistle, while Hearts masseur Alan Robson was also reported.

Black will serve a three-match ban, Suso will miss two games and Bouzid – who received two yellows on Sunday – one. Hearts still face another record SFA fine after failing to improve their disciplinary record this season.

Following Sunday's meltdown at Hamilton, Hearts owner Vladimir Romanov has declared once again that there is no proper football in Scotland and that fans are being deceived over "unfair" titles going to the Old Firm.

The Lithuanian millionaire's stewardship of Hearts has been questioned by critics of the club and by supporters, who claim that there is deep unhappiness at Hearts over the way Romanov runs the club. He has visited the club only once this season, and on Sunday when the roof was coming in on Hearts at Hamilton, the club's owner was at a basketball match in Lithuania.

"In the last six months I only visited the club once," he said. "A couple of seasons ago in a game against Dundee United, Hearts were given three red cards, had two penalties awarded against us and a free-kick placed inside our box. At this point, I stopped even talking about football and the mafia.

"It was then I realised that there is no football in Scotland – and there cannot be any. Only degraded people could humiliate their country like this and deceive the fans just for the sake of unfair titles for the Old Firm.

"Under such circumstances the main task for Hearts now is to help our young players grow up, and not pay any attention to the surrounding showbusiness."

On the field, Hearts manager Csaba Laszlo hopes to have defender Lee Wallace back from injury and fit to start Saturday's home game against United.