Pressley handed a four-match ban

Steven Pressley last night expressed satisfaction after escaping with a four-match suspension for his half-time rant at referee Euan Norris during Falkirk’s Scottish Communities League Cup semi-final defeat by Celtic last month.

The Bairns boss was called to appear before the SFA after storming onto the Hampden pitch at the interval of the 3-1 loss and remonstrating with Norris, who had awarded Celtic a first-half penalty.

He could have been banned from the touchline for the rest of the season, but after being accused of indicating ‘bias or incompetence’ and of ‘adopting aggressive behaviour’ towards a match official, the SFA’s judicial panel found Pressley guilty on both counts but dealt him only a ‘severe censure’ for the first charge and a four-match penalty for the latter. He said: “I was very satisfied. I got a fair hearing and I accept my punishment.”

However, it appears Pressley, who is possibly the lowest-paid manager in the First Division, will be expected to deal with a further cut to his playing budget next term and is irked as he seeks full-time deals for assistants Neil MacFarlane and Stevie Crawford.

With the transfers of Kallum Higginbotham and Murray Wallace to Huddersfield Town last month earning Falkirk up to £1 million, Pressley wants investment in his coaching staff. It has been suggested he could leave over the issue, but he added: “I’m currently in negotiations with the club and I’m very hopeful of a positive outcome.”