Derek McInnes could be forced to watch his first Glasgow derby as Rangers manager from the stands after the Scottish FA scheduled a hearing for 31 August into his appeal against a touchline ban.
The sanction, handed down in July, stems from comments McInnes made while he was still Hearts manager, when he described a late penalty awarded to Celtic at Motherwell in May as “disgusting”.
Rangers have contested the punishment, arguing that his remarks were directed at the decision rather than constituting a broader attack on match officials, and McInnes has publicly backed the club’s decision to appeal.
If the appeal is unsuccessful, McInnes would miss:
Falkirk (away) – Wednesday 3 September, Scottish Premiership
Motherwell (home) – Saturday 6 September, Scottish Premiership
Celtic (home) – Saturday 13 September, League Cup quarter-final at Ibrox
That Celtic fixture would mark McInnes’ first derby as Rangers manager, raising the stakes for both the club and its supporters.
McInnes insisted he did not intend to inflame the situation and that his comments came in the heat of a pivotal moment in the title race.
“I don’t agree with it and the club don’t agree with it,” he said. “I’m glad that we’re going to appeal against that. I’ve been a manager for 19 years and you know you’re going to be asked about contentious decisions and all the rest of it. I’ve never wanted to make it personal. For me, the decision was wrong.”
He warned that managers and players risk becoming overly cautious if they feel they must constantly self-censor, particularly with broadcasters paying heavily for post-match reactions.
Rangers’ statement struck a similar tone: “Respect for officials and legitimate scrutiny are not competing principles. Managers, players and clubs must be able to speak honestly about major decisions if Scottish football is serious about raising standards and maintaining trust.”
The incident that sparked the controversy
The flashpoint came on 13 May at Fir Park, when Celtic were awarded a 96th-minute penalty for handball, converted by Kelechi Iheanacho in a 3–2 win over Motherwell.
That result left Celtic one point behind Hearts going into the final weekend, before they beat the Tynecastle side 3-1 to win the league on the last day.
Speaking to Sky Sports that night, McInnes said: “When you heard Celtic got a 96th-minute penalty that was going to VAR and they were checking it, you just assume what’s happened is they get the penalty. Having seen it again, it’s disgusting. It is. I don’t think it’s a penalty kick. But we’re up against it. We’re up against everybody.”
Scottish FA head of referees Willie Collum later defended the call, citing “clear evidence” of Motherwell’s Sam Nicholson with his hand and arm “in an unnatural position”, describing the contact as a “punishable handball”.
The fallout from the decision also saw referee John Beaton’s address and contact details posted online, with police keeping his home under surveillance and a teenager later charged in connection with a data protection offence.
What happens next
A tribunal will hear the case on Monday 31 August, with McInnes and Rangers hoping to have the ban overturned, reduced, or replaced with a fine.
Until then, the Rangers boss remains on the touchline, including for the league trip to Aberdeen on 30 August, just one day before the hearing.
If the appeal fails, McInnes is expected to serve the suspension in the stands for Falkirk, Motherwell and the league cup Glasgow derby, with a return planned for the league fixture at Celtic Park on 20 September, assuming no further issues arise.