Bain calls for four-hour rule after Rangers call-off

Problems with the undersoil heating in a shaded area of the pitch were not regarded as a threat to the fixture prior to the arrival of match referee Mike Tumilty at the stadium around an hour-and-a-half ahead of the 12.45pm start for Sky Sports.

Tumilty declared the pitch a potential danger to the players and therefore unplayable – a decision supportered by both managers Walter Smith and Derek McInnes. Bain will now push for the same notification procedure as exists in the Scottish Cup where pitch inspections are conducted four hours before kick-off to prevent travelling supporters setting off on wasted journeys.

St Johnstone issued a statement taking full responsibility for the call-off, in which they said "the club can only apologise for the inconvenience caused to all supporters". But Bain believes it is imperative the SPL "do everything in their power to make sure this doesn't happen again".

He said: "I would like to see that (the four-hour rule] and it's something that's been discussed at SPL level, whether or not there should be a notification earlier and referees appearing at grounds earlier."

Bain admitted he was "appalled" by the lateness of the call-off and blamed it on "human error" without expanding on the use of the expression. It may have been related to McInnes' admission that there were concerns about an area in the penalty box at the Ormond Stand end of the ground from early morning, despite the fact the club's undersoil heating had held up for their midweek match against Hibernian and been switched on since Thursday.

"I wasn't aware of it until half past nine, but the indication then was that it should be OK by the time the referee got here (at 11.15 am]," said McInnes. However, overnight temperatures of -7C put paid to that. "It has improved slightly and if it's a three o'clock (kick-off] it has every chance, but we don't have that luxury," the Saints manager added.

"Our heating has been on, it's not as if we've been caught out, as far as I'm aware. I've been told the heating was on since Monday and we had to have it on for the game on Wednesday, and for this one. It's too important for our club, the revenue that goes with it. We'd have done everything to make sure the game was on."

St Johnstone's statement said yesterday's tickets will be valid for the rescheduled date and that full refunds will be available to any supporter unable to attend. As a "good will gesture" the club also said that admission prices for their first hosting of Rangers from next season will be reduced by 2 per person.

Bain said that he did not anticipate the game being rescheduled this midweek – a possibility that is a non-starter because Scottish referees are attending a winter training camp in Spain. With Scotland playing next midweek and St Johnstone having rearranged fixtures the following two midweeks, the earliest date for the encounter would now appear to be the final week of March.

Rangers manager Walter Smith admitted it was an "awkward situation as to when to play it" but his first concern was that his team had a clear week going into the Old Firm game on Sunday. That is assured but less clear is whether St Johnstone will incur any punishment from the SPL for the lateness of the postponement.

Falkirk, whose game against St Johnstone on 2 January was called off an hour and 20 minutes before kick-off, escaped sanction following an investigation because of the "unique circumstances" surrounding the referee's decision that day.

In a statement yesterday, the SPL gave no indication as to whether the McDiarmid Park club could expect a similar outcome.

"It is extremely disappointing," said an SPL spokesman. "The next step is for the SPL to receive the reports from the match delegate and the referee before responding. It is too early to judge the rights and wrongs of the situation."

Alexander quits Scots

SCOTLAND manager Craig Levein will tomorrow name his first squad for the friendly against the Czech Republic at Hampden on 3 March but one familiar name will be missing.

Burnley full-back Graham Alexander has retired from the international scene as he attempts to prolong his playing career.

The 38-year-old, who won the last of his 39 caps in the 2-0 win over Macedonia in September, is Burnley's second-top scorer (behind Scotland striker Steven Fletcher) with six goals from 24 appearances this season.

SFL games frozen out

ONLY two games in the Scottish First Division survived the freezing weather yesterday following the postponement of Inverness v Queen of the South, Morton v Ross County and Airdrie United v Raith Rovers. All five games in the Second Division were called off and the match in the Third Division between Stranraer and Albion Rovers was also postponed.

Sack me, says Leo

AC MILAN coach Leonardo has invited club owner Silvio Berlusconi to sack him if he is unhappy with the team's form. "I am always very calm. I have no problem; if the president wants me to leave, one word from him is enough," the rookie coach said after reports that the Italian prime minister had criticised his tactics.

Milan lost 3-2 at home to Manchester United in Tuesday's Champions League last-16 first leg.