Lennon faces additional SFA charge

Celtic manager Neil Lennon will face an additional Scottish Football Association charge following his dismissal in the 2-0 defeat by Hearts.

Referee Craig Thomson has accused Lennon of "excessive misconduct" after he reacted angrily to fourth official Steven McLean amid protests over a denied penalty claim.

Lennon already faced an automatic two-match ban after being sent to the stand in last Wednesday's stormy SPL encounter at Tynecastle.

However, Lennon confirmed on Sunday he planned to appeal against that statutory ban and would spend the next day reading through Thomson's match report.

The report included the additional charge, which is due to be heard at the SFA's disciplinary committee meeting on December 7.

Lennon berated McLean after Thomson acted on the fourth official's advice to send the Celtic boss to the stand, after he remonstrated over a penalty box handball by Ryan Stevenson, which went unpunished.

Lennon could yet find himself facing more charges over the Tynecastle match if the SFA's general purposes committee decree his post-match comments are worthy of punishment.

Lennon said Thomson's reputation as one of the best referees in the country did not reflect well on the rest.