Rangers and SFA set for conflict

DAVID MCKINNEY

Relations between the Scottish Football Association and Rangers, strained over the years, could be further damaged with the deliberations of the SFA disciplinary committee into allegations of misconduct at last week's match between Rangers and Aberdeen.

Although John Rowbotham, the referee, took no action his supervisor indicated in his report that Paul Gascoigne should have been sent off for an alleged head-butt on John Inglis and he also suggested John Brown and Alan McLaren of Rangers and Billy Dodds, the Aberdeen striker, be red-carded for a later incident involving all three.

The supervisor suggested he was denied a clear view of the incident involving Gascoigne, but felt a red card would be appropriate because of the presence of intent. The report was considered yesterday by the disciplinary committee.

Rangers are unhappy at the thought that a referee supervisor can sit in judgement on players on disciplinary matters rather than reporting on the actions of the referee. It is also thought that Rangers are unhappy at the fact that the supervisor did not have a clear view of the Gascoigne incident.

The findings of the disciplinary committee could involve all the players mentioned making appearances before the SFA.

The whole scenario might have been different if the SFA allowed video evidence to be taken into consideration. The hypocrisy of that situation, where television is watched by both supervisors and members of committees, could be about to end as the disciplinary committee have opened the door for the use of such evidence to be taken into consideration in future.