Derek McInnes discovers which Rangers matches he will miss as SFA touchline ban reduced on appeal
McInnes had been cited for comments made about a Celtic penalty award while Hearts manager last season
Rangers manager Derek McInnes has scored a partial success in his appeal against a touchline ban.
McInnes was initially suspended by the Scottish Football Association for four matches, with one suspended, for comments made while still manager of Hearts during the final week of last season.
The 55-year-old was cited by the SFA complaince officer after describing a crucial match-winning stoppage-time penalty award to Celtic at Fir Park as “disgusting” and claiming “it feels like us against everybody”.
Celtic were facing the challenge of beating leaders Hearts 3-0 on the final day before Kelechi Iheanacho converted the penalty and they ultimately won the title in the closing moments of the season by overturning a one-point deficit with a 3-1 win.
McInnes had been due to serve his suspension from the start of the domestic season but Rangers submitted an appeal which meant the ban was put on hold until after a hearing took place.
The tribunal was held on Monday which ruled that the appeal should be partially upheld with McInnes' ban reduced to two matches, with two suspended until the end of season 2026/27, pending any further breaches of the Disciplinary Rule 72, which states that any club officials should not imply “bias or incompetence” on match officials or impinge on their characters.
McInnes will now sit in the stands for this week’s Scottish Premiership games against Falkirk and Motherwell before returning for the league match against St Mirren at Ibrox on Wednesday, September 9.
It also means he will be free to take his place in the dugout for his first Old Firm match as Rangers manager against Celtic in the Premier Sports Cup quarter-final on Sunday, September 13, and the first league visit to Celtic Park the following weekend.
Motherwell and former Fir Park midfielder Elliot Watt were also punished following their reaction to the Celtic penalty decision.
The Steelmen were fined £5,000 over social media content and former Scotland Under-21 international Watt, now at Samsunspor, was given a four-match ban for writing “worst VAR decision in history” on his X account.
Appeals against both punishments will be heard on Thursday.
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