KILMARNOCK manager Steve Clarke has effectively dared the Scottish FA to take action against Rangers following the comments by their manager, Steven Gerrard, and the club concerning the performance of referee Willie Collum in their 2-0 win over St Mirren in Paisley last weekend.
Gerrard claimed that the official’s decision to issue a second caution to winger Daniel Candeias following an altercation with home defender Anton Ferdinand was “embarrassing” while an official statement from the club on Thursday – in the wake of a failed appeal against the yellow card which means Candeias misses tomorrow’s match against Motherwell at Ibrox – ramped up the criticism.
“It defies belief that this same referee, who got it so blatantly wrong last Saturday, is awarded one of the biggest matches in Scottish football this weekend [Aberdeen v Hibs last night] while Daniel Candeias is denied the right to go to his work,” the statement from Rangers read.
“This, frankly, is unacceptable. Furthermore, it is understood that a number of people within the Scottish FA are in no doubt Collum's judgment was flawed and Rangers shall also now be submitting a formal complaint about the performance of this referee."
Clarke was given a two-match touchline ban and Kilmarnock were fined £1000 (both penalties suspended until the end of this campaign) when the manager argued that Collum was wrong to show a straight red card to midfielder Gary Dicker during Hearts’ 1-0 victory at Rugby Park in August. Clarke also suggested that the club’s appeal against the dismissal had been prejudged because the referee had been allocated the Celtic versus Rangers derby in the same week as the hearing.
Kilmarnock face Hearts again at Tynecastle today but Clarke did not spend time reflecting on that earlier defeat.
“To lose the game [against Hearts] was disappointing because I didn’t think we deserved to lose it but I think I’ve already spoken enough about the circumstances surrounding that,” he said.
“It may be better to move on, although other clubs don’t seem willing to let things lie. I await with interest the SFA’s response to Rangers’ statement.
“I am still holding my breath waiting on them replying to Kilmarnock for their query about Mr Fleming’s statement [John Fleming, the SFA’s head of refereeing, had told Dundee supporters that Killie had accepted Jordan Jones, their winger, had dived to win a penalty against them when the club has never accepted the player’s guilt].
“We’ve had nothing back from them, so maybe the letter has got lost in the post, I don’t know. It would have been nice to have had a reply from them by now.
“They are quick to get to you when something is wrong, which is why they have the fast-track system.”
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