Second disciplinary charge for Neil Lennon after tunnel dispute with referee

CELTIC manager Neil Lennon has been served with his second disciplinary charge in a week, after being issued with a notice of complaint from the Scottish Football Association about his conduct during Sunday’s Old Firm game.

The SFA’s notice alleges that Lennon committed misconduct during his team’s 3-2 defeat by Rangers at Ibrox in contravention of Rule 203. “No member of team staff shall commit misconduct at a match, including but not limited to committing acts of the kind described in the schedule of offences in Annex C,” the rule says.

Annex C lists such offences as: “misconduct at a match by dissent, the adoption of aggressive behaviour towards a match official and the repeated use of offensive, abusing and insulting language.”

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The hearing has been set for 19 April and Lennon has until a week today to respond.

The charge relates to Lennon’s disagreement with referee Calum Murray at half-time on Sunday. After complaining to Murray about his first-half performance, Lennon was ordered from the dugout and watched the second half from the media room.

Lennon insisted that he had not been abusive and had simply wanted Murray to explain his first-half performance. He also criticised the referee for refusing to meet him after the game to explain his decisions.

“I was just critical of his first-half performance,” he said. “I never used any abusive language. I’ve spoken to the [match] delegate, and they are saying one thing, but I’ve got witnesses that say another.

“I need some answers and I’m not getting them. I wanted to see him [Murray] after the game. I was told wait 20 minutes then go and see him. But after 20 minutes, he has said, ‘No, I don’t want to see you’. I am entitled, as a manager, to speak to a referee.

“I put my point across. I didn’t point a finger. I waited for him and spoke quietly to him and that was the end of it.”

Celtic are to appeal against the first-half dismissal of Cha Du-Ri, whom Murray ruled had committed a professional foul on Lee Wallace. Victor Wanyama was sent off for a two-footed tackle 12 minutes into the second half, leaving Celtic two men down until Rangers’ Carlos Bocanegra saw red with minutes to play.

After last week’s League Cup final defeat by Kilmarnock, the Celtic manager was asked by SFA compliance officer Vince Lunny to explain remarks he made about referee Willie Collum, which included branding one of the referee’s decisions “criminal”. Lennon has until Friday to respond.

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Meanwhile, Celtic have revealed it was their own security staff who advised Lennon not to sit in the main stand at Ibrox after he was sent off at on Sunday. Some reports implied it had been Rangers personnel who told Lennon he would not be safe in the stand, but a Celtic spokesman explained that had not been the case.

“For clarification, Neil was advised by Celtic’s own security and operations staff not to enter the stand or directors box area at Ibrox,” said a Celtic spokesman. “He was then provided another area by Rangers in which to watch the match”.