Hearts boss holds his hands up over abuse directed at linesman

JIM JEFFERIES has apologised for suggesting Celtic's first goal against Hearts on Saturday was offside and contacted the Scottish Football Association to pass on his sentiments to Francis Andrews, the assistant referee.

Video footage proved Andrews was entirely correct to allow play to continue when Daryl Murphy ran in behind the Hearts defence to square for James Forrest's opening goal. Murphy had been played onside by visiting defender Darren Barr, but Jefferies rounded on Andrews and was subsequently ordered to the stand by referee William Collum.

The Hearts manager said: "At the angle I was at, he looked offside.

"We don't have monitors down at the dugout and everyone in our dugout thought he was offside.

"It was then relayed to me that some pictures showed he was offside but I have seen other footage and it shows he was marginally onside, and I accept that.

"I can't take back what I said, I can only apologise and I spoke to Hugh Dallas (head of referee development at the SFA] and asked him to apologise to Francis Andrews on my behalf, as I don't have his number. But I never criticised the performance of Willie Collum, I just said that I would be reporting him for the way he spoke to me."

Jefferies remains unhappy that Collum spoke to him "like a two-year-old" at half-time but may face an SFA charge of bringing the game into disrepute for his comments in the aftermath of Saturday's match.