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Daily Record
Daily Record
Sport
Mark Walker

Neil Lennon walks straight into a storm as Omonia Nicosia hit by SEVEN fines including one for spitting on a rival

Toiling Omonia Nicosia have been hit with seven separate fines by the Cypriot FA on the day of Neil Lennon 's introduction including for their fans spitting on an opposition player.

The former Celtic captain and manager made the surprise call to join Omonia after they ditched one-time Rangers defender Henning Berg following his three years at the club.

But if he was in any doubt about just how volatile it can get in the crazy world of Cypriot football, he's been handed an instant indication.

The Cypriot Football Association's disciplinary chief Aristotelis Vryonidis announced he had dealt with seven different charges for Omonia and fined them for every incident.

They were fined unspecified amounts for their fans spitting on APOEL's Giorgi Kvilitaia after he was sent off and left the field. They were also penalised for throwing objects at the assistant referee during a match.

Other fines included picking up over five bookings in a game, allowing their supporters to have dangerous and prohibited objects in their stadium, fans firing flares and fireworks during a match, coach Simos Tarapoulouzis for an alleged fight with an opposition coach at half time in the dressing room and for not using enough under 18 players, which is a requirement in Cyprus.

Lennon faces an instant challenge (SNS Group)

The Cypriot FA disciplinary chief is a busy man though - Omonia's fines were just part of an incredible 51 disciplinary cases in football brought within the space of a month on the Mediterranean island.

Lennon had been out of work since last February when he left the former Premiership champions.

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