Neil Lennon admits he 'crossed the line' but won't change his ways

The Irishman has been criticised for his management style which, when it became too passionate in the defeat by Hearts at Tynecastle earlier in the month, saw him sent to the stand by referee Craig Thomson.

Lennon is appealing the automatic two-match dugout ban and the separate excessive misconduct charge brought by the Scottish Football Association following his touchline rant with the fourth official when a penalty claim was turned down.

However, the former Celtic skipper's stinging criticism of match officials this season is thought to be just one reason why Scotland's grade one referees voted on Sunday to withdraw their labour this weekend in a move which is threatening 20 fixtures.

Speaking on CLUB TV, a BBC ALBA programme which will be shown tonight, Lennon pleads guilty to sometimes getting too carried away although in mitigation he claims his behaviour is often exaggerated. He said: "It's a natural instinct and I think sometimes people go over the top about it and exaggerate my behaviour - they only show snippets of me arguing with officials every now and again. It would be folly for me to say that I'm not doing anything wrong because obviously there is a line you can't cross and I may have crossed it once or twice.

"I think in the main I want that passion to be there not just from me but from the staff and the players as well but in a controlled way."

However, Lennon admits he is unlikely to change much as a person. He said: "All managers have their own styles and personalities and maybe I have to temper mine a little bit but I am not going to change too much because that's who I am.

"Maybe as I grow older, if I am still in a job here or somewhere else, I will look back and say I was younger and a bit more explosive. But Fergie (Sir Alex Ferguson] still has his rages and Arsene Wenger, and people like to see that every now and again because it shows that you care."

Meanwhile, former top referee Bob Valentine admits he fears even more refs are set to walk away unless the culture of blame in this country changes.

The Tayside-born official, who is scheduled to be the referee supervisor at Dundee United's match against Rangers on Sunday, accepts that officials are always going to be on the receiving end of criticism but feels things have gone too far in recent weeks.

"Referees are used to criticism. Let's be honest, I got it even back in my day for certain decisions which would provoke a furore," he said. "But when it starts to affect your family life outwith the game and you begin fearing for your safety in the streets, then that's when you know things have really got to change for the better."

Valentine, who refereed at the 1982 World Cup finals in Spain as well as in the 1984 and 1988 European Championships, believes that a breakdown in society is behind some of football's ills.

He added: "Refs are not now shown the respect they deserve and you could argue that's a problem of society in general.

"It is a much wider problem which needs tackled but, in an ideal world, everyone would accept decisions on the field and get on with the game of football," he said.