Calum Butcher tackle on Celtic's David Turnbull receives SFA charge

Dundee United’s Calum Butcher is facing a retrospective ban for his tackle on Celtic’s David Turnbull after being cited by the Scottish FA.

Dundee United's Calum Butcher (left) is booked for a tackle on Celtic's David Turnbull (Photo by Craig Foy / SNS Group)

The 30-year-old midfielder, who was only just returning from a two-match suspension, caught Turnbull with a high challenge during Celtic’s 3-0 win at Tannadice on Sunday and while match referee Don Robertson issued a yellow card at the time, the SFA has reviewed the incident and deemed further action is necessary.

As is customary, a panel of three former referees watched the footage and after reaching unanimous agreement that a red card offence had been missed, the compliance officer has issued Butcher with a notice of complaint and a charge of breaking the rules on serious foul play.

The challenge was slammed by pundits, with Neil McCann calling it a "leg-breaker" and Kris Boyd stating Turnbull was lucky not to be seriously hurt.

The player has not been offered a fixed ban and will face a fast-track disciplinary panel on Thursday.

Get a year of unlimited access to all The Scotsman's sport coverage without the need for a full subscription. Expert analysis of the biggest games, exclusive interviews, live blogs, transfer news and 70 per cent fewer ads on Scotsman.com - all for less than £1 a week. Subscribe to us today