Stewart Regan wants SFA disciplinary process to emulate English model

• SFA chief executive Stewart Regan Picture: SNS

Regan believes the SFA's protocols have been exposed as cumbersome, inefficient and lacking in transparency as a number of high-profile cases have been allowed to drag on for weeks. He wants to introduce a swifter mechanism for dealing with contentious situations, as happens in the English Premier League, where the whole process can be cleared up within a couple of days rather than weeks.

His conclusions are drawn from the investigation into Dougie McDonald's rescinding of a Celtic penalty at Tannadice a fortnight ago and the retrospective suspension handed to Rangers goalkeeper Allan McGregor after his kicking out at Aberdeen's Chris Maguire was referred to a video review panel.

Regan wants a more immediate and active role in dealing with incidents arising from referees' decisions, though recognises you can't "give one guy total responsibility for managing the whole game".

Neither are interests best served, however, by any "occurrences involving referees being heard by a referees' committee that meets every couple of months." He would not be drawn on how the changes could impact on the SFA's head of referees, Hugh Dallas, beyond stating: "I am his line manager".

"There are things we can do in a swifter and better-executed manner," Regan said. "I have identified in four weeks a number of processes within the SFA to do with disciplinaries.

"That was made clear in the whole aftermath of the Allan McGregor incident.

"I can't be personally involved in every discussion or I would get nothing done, but I have recommended as part of my findings (into the Dougie McDonald case] that if there are any incidents arising we have any concerns about, the chief executive is consulted immediately, convenes an emergency committee of representatives and is involved in that process without delay. If the chief executive is not around there needs to be a nominated person or panel. Speed is of the essence in these situations.

"We need much clearer deadlines and a specific cut-off point. I would like to think there will be an opportunity to deal with those incidents in 48 hours or there or thereabouts. We need to follow the English model."

Meanwhile, Regan will meet with Celtic chief executive Peter Lawwell this week to "discuss a number of matters". One of the items on the agenda will be a letter the SFA received from Tayside Police concerning the pitch-side celebrations of Celtic manager Neil Lennon at Tannadice a fortnight ago. Another item will be the letters sent by Celtic over the McDonald decision and Willie Collum's penalty award for Rangers last week.

"We as the SFA have written to Tayside Police and notified them that we take their comments extremely seriously," Regan said. x