Hughes and Mixu could face action

27th August 2008

Falkirk manager John Hughes and Hibernian boss Mixu Paatelainen will not know until October whether they face action over their latest outbursts against referees.

Tuesday night's Co-operative Insurance Cup second round ties involving the two clubs saw both men launch stinging attacks on officials.

Asked if the pair would face action over their comments, an SFA spokesman said: "That's a matter for the General Purposes Committee. The next meeting of the General Purposes Committee is in October."

Following his side's 3-1 victory over Raith, Hughes laid into the Scottish Football Association's head of referees, Donald McVicar. And Paatelainen followed suit by slamming referee Iain Brines after seeing his side suffer the shock of the round so far, a 4-3 home defeat to First Division Morton.

Hughes' outburst followed comments from referees' chief McVicar that the Bairns boss was "mischief-making again" after he criticised Brines in the wake of Saturday's 3-0 Clydesdale Bank Premier League defeat at Celtic.

Paatelainen was furious with Brines' performance in Tuesday night's match at Easter Road.

He explained: "We are 3-2 up and the referee gave a penalty against us when it hit Dean Shiels in his ribs. He has a red mark on his side.

"I've watched it on video many times and it's never a penalty, it does not hit his arm, and they score.

"For their fourth goal, I felt it was an assault on Chris Hogg. The referee is in a great position to see that but he gives a free-kick to them.

"Their physio came on to attend to their player like ours did to see to Chris Hogg, but Chris Hogg went off and their player did not. We are a man short as a result."