ANDY HALLIDAY last night claimed that booking players for their goal celebrations was taking the fun out of football and urged the Scottish Football Association to change their rules to enable clubs to appeal against yellow cards.
The Rangers midfielder was ordered off in a Ladbrokes Championship match against Morton at Cappielow in January for punching the air in the centre circle after his team mate Barrie McKay had scored.
His manager Mark Warburton was told afterwards that match official Barry Cook had shown the player a second yellow card because he believed his gesture could have incited a riot.
The 24-year-old, who had the red card he was shown in a game against Hibernian at Ibrox in December reduced to a yellow after an appeal, admitted the orderings off were “a major low point” in his career.
Clubs are currently only entitled to appeal against a straight red card – but Halliday would like to see that altered at the end of the season so that yellow cards can also be rescinded.
“It was probably the lowest point I have had in my Rangers career,” he said. “You just want answers, it’s a simple as that. With the structure we have got in place you can’t appeal two bookings. Hopefully they will change something like that come the end of the season.
“The disappointing thing for me was seeing the video analysis from the stand directly behind the linesman’s view. We could see what happened. If that sparks a riot then anything will on a football park. I want to try and move on from it. But it was probably the lowest point I have had in a Rangers jersey.
“I didn’t do anything. I celebrated a goal. I am not the only one. I saw Jason Cummings of Hibs getting sent off against Hearts. It was a similar situation. He goes into a derby and scores a winning goal and he can’t celebrate it. It is not on really. It is something that we might need to look at come the end of the season.
“Hopefully stuff will change regarding it. You don’t want to completely change the rules so you can appeal after every two booking offences. But in an outstanding situation like that you would like to think that common sense prevails and something will get done. Hopefully they can re-evaluate that.”
Speaking to promote a special four-game ticket package for Ibrox, Halliday added: "If you play for Rangers, it's a 24/7 lifestyle – you get abuse no matter where you go. We're big enough characters to accept that. But the one thing you're going to enjoy is a Saturday when your team are scoring goals. If you take that away from us, then you're taking the fun away, it's as simple as that.
“I would completely understand if I had walked towards the Morton fans or ran towards them, but I was in the centre circle and five seconds after that fist pump I have turned round to go again from the kick-off. Like I've said from day dot, I think it was unjustified. Whether the linesman thinks he's made a mistake then I'll never know. At the end of the day we are all human and if he has he can hold his hand up and we'll get on with it.”
Meanwhile, Warburton, whose side take on Raith Rovers in a Championship match at Ibrox this evening, has admitted his side could squander their 11-point lead in the final 10 games of the season and must not become complacent.
“We have to emphasise the message that we’ve won nothing," he said. "Right now there are 30 points left. I use the example of Leicester City last season – they looked like they were going out of the Premier League and had an unbelievable run to survive. Teams can put big runs together. You have eight victories out of 10 and put 24 points on the board and you are in great shape. We have to make sure we do that.
“We had an eight-point lead earlier this season then Hibs went on a run, Falkirk went on a run and we lost a game and drew two. It can change. But we are not denying it’s a great position to be in. But we haven’t won anything yet so we have to make sure the focus is maintained.
“I think we’re playing well. We’ve had six clean sheets out of eight and conceded only two goals in those games. It’s a good place to be. We’ve only used five defenders all season and we have consistency. A 1-0 victory or an 8-0 win is still three points.
“Raith is another big game, hopefully there will be another big crowd and another three points. That’s got to be the aim.”
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