Lennon likely to receive long ban after tirade

Neil Lennon will be hauled before a Scottish Football Association disciplinary panel next month after the ugly scenes at the end of Saturday's Old Firm match at Ibrox. The Celtic captain, who had earlier been booked, launched a foul-mouthed tirade and appeared to barge into the referee, Stuart Dougal, as the players headed for the tunnel after Rangers won 3-1.

Lennon received a red card, but will suffer a stiffer penalty on September 20th, after the precedent set by a similar incident involving Saulius Mikoliunas, the Hearts winger, last season. The Lithuanian was given an eight-game ban, later cut to six matches on appeal, after a clash with a linesman, during Hearts' 2-1 defeat, also to Rangers, at Tynecastle in March.

Drew Herbertson, head of the SFA's disciplinary department, said yesterday: "We are still awaiting the referee's report, but we understand that the player will be reported for misconduct for his actions following his red card."

Lennon was the second Celtic player to be given a red card at Ibrox. Alan Thompson received his marching orders in the first half after a lunge at Rangers' Nacho Novo. Don McVicar, the SFA's head of refereeing development, has defended Dougal's actions. "I consider Thompson's tackle on Novo to come into the career-threatening category. The referee was criticised for showing too many cards, but his only fault was that he possibly didn't show enough cards."

Lennon (34) has apologised but his remorse seems sure to cut little ice with the SFA. He will hope the SFA's disciplinary committee will take his previous good conduct into account when they meet on Saturday. He is already facing a one-match suspension for the red card.

The 34-year-old's only dismissal in five years with Celtic came in the League Cup final against Rangers in March 2003. The SFA are expecting Dougal's report to arrive at Hampden Park today but they understand it will contain details of the midfielder's rant and subsequent attempts to confront the official.

A prominent Celtic supporters' group insist they will give Lennon full support following the incident, despite admitting he was in the wrong.

Peter Rafferty, secretary of the Affiliation of Celtic Supporters Associations, said: "The Celtic supporters are 100 per cent behind our captain Neil. We can't condone his actions and he is looking at a lengthy suspension. But as far as Neil is concerned, the bond between him and the Celtic fans is very strong and that won't change."

The defeat to Rangers has caused more consternation for manager Gordon Strachan after a difficult start to his reign and he must plan for Sunday's trip to Dunfermline without Lennon, Alan Thompson and the injured Chris Sutton.

It was a miserable Old Firm debut for Strachan but Rafferty said: "It's happened now and we can't change it but these things take a little bit of time and nothing can be done overnight. It takes a bit longer. We would all like to win every game because this is the team we support but the fans are still behind the manager and what he is trying to do.

"We have got the rest of the season to make sure we forget this result and we will turn it around . . . It was also an eye-opener for Gordon Strachan to see how the game went."

Guardian Service