Dismayed Aberdeen chairman Dave Cormack has hit out at the Scottish Football Association for not using their full powers to redress the injustice of Funso Ojo’s wrongful red card.
Referee Bobby Madden has acknowledged he made a mistake, after advice from his assistant, and the Belgian shouldn’t have got a second yellow card because he had been the victim of an alleged assault by a Dundee United fan.
Aberdeen were in constant dialogue with the governing body but were told that there was no mechanism to appeal a second yellow card unless it is for mistaken identity or for simulation.
Cormack, however, believes the SFA could have let them appeal to the Judicial Panel, where they could have requested an emergency rule amendment.
Cormack frustratedly stated: “While the SFA have been sympathetic they were not willing to take any action mid-season that would provide us with the opportunity to appeal the yellow card to the Judicial Panel.
“We have been advised that they will explore a rule amendment for next season, which we welcome, but which won’t help the club and Funso this time.
“Naturally, we are very disappointed with this outcome because we believe that discretionary powers can and should be used to address and remedy rare situations such as the one in which we found ourselves last Saturday.”
Cormack believes the fact Madden and the SFA ’s refereeing fraternity wants to come out and admit their mistake was refreshing and will hopefully lead to a better relationship between clubs and officials.
He added: “In going through this process, it has been refreshing to know that Bobby Madden and the refereeing fraternity wanted to come out publicly and accept they got this decision wrong.
“A stronger relationship between clubs and referees, one where Scottish football is open to change and transparency with supporters, can only be seen as a positive step.”
Aberdeen director of football Steven Gunn is adamant they have no issue with Madden and accept it was an honest mistake.
Gunn, however, is adamant that if Ojo had pushed an spectator then it should have been a straight red, which they would have been able to appeal.
Gunn stated: “As we understand it, the referee and the SFA’s Head of Refereeing Operations (Crawford Allan), immediately after seeing replays of the footage, recognised that the referee had been mistakenly advised by his assistant referee that it was Funso that had pushed a spectator rather than the other way around.
“As a result, Funso was given a second caution.
“Pushing a spectator is, in fact, a sending-off offence which would have given us a right of appeal.
“We don’t doubt that, had the referee been aware of the correct facts, he would have taken every step to protect Funso given the circumstances. The club fully recognises that mistakes happen.
“We are dismayed that the Scottish FA, despite their sympathy with the club and the player, have not taken a common sense approach, that in this case would have been unlikely to be disputed by anyone in football. “They have instead chosen to stick rigidly to the rules which prevent any meaningful discussion to remedy this when we believe it would have been within their discretionary powers to do so.”
Aberdeen boss Stephen Glass was also sent off at half-time for criticising some of Madden’s decisions. He is yet to find out if he will face disciplinary action.
