Bougherra and McCoist to learn fate for Old Firm 'misconduct'

(Reuters)

Rangers assistant manager Ally McCoist, defender Madjid Bougherra and forward El Hadji Diouf will today learn what punishment they face for their part in last month's volatile Scottish Cup fifth-round defeat at Celtic.

The Scottish Football Association's disciplinary committee will convene and discuss the events of the 2 March match, which resulted in Scotland's First Minister, Alex Salmond, hosting a summit at the request of Strathclyde Police.

McCoist and the Celtic manager, Neil Lennon, were on 10 March charged with misconduct after a touchline scuffle between the pair at the final whistle of the fixture at Parkhead.

Rangers appealed against McCoist's two-match ban, while Lennon was already the subject of a four-match ban and the charge triggered an additional four-match suspension. However, the SFA later conceded that Lennon's ban would run concurrently, rather than consecutively, following a legal challenge by Celtic, and he will return to the dugout tonight at St Johnstone after completing his touchline suspension on Saturday.

McCoist, whose appeal allowed him to be on the touchline for the Co-operative Insurance Cup final defeat of Celtic, could have his ban upheld, reduced or increased today.

Bougherra and Diouf face charges of "misconduct of a significantly serious nature" and any ban would hurt Rangers' title challenge, with Walter Smith's men two points behind Celtic with six games left.

Algeria international defender Bougherra was one of two Rangers players sent off in the game, while on-loan Blackburn forward Diouf followed after the final whistle. Bougherra was shown a second yellow card in stoppage time and reacted angrily, appearing to try to prevent the referee Calum Murray from showing his cards.

Lennon and Diouf had a running feud throughout the match, which the Celtic manager says began when the Senegal international blocked the Bhoys' physio when he ran on to treat an injured player.