McInnes’s ban decision over ‘disgusting’ remark disclosed following Rangers’ appeal.

Rangers manager Derek McInnes will serve a reduced immediate touchline suspension after the club successfully appealed the length of the punishment handed to him by the Scottish Football Association.

The 55-year-old was originally given a four-match ban following comments he made about the controversial penalty awarded to Celtic during their match against Motherwell last season.

Derek McInnes’ immediate touchline ban has been reduced

However, Rangers’ appeal has resulted in a change to how the suspension will be served.

Although the overall four-match punishment remains intact, McInnes will now serve only two matches with immediate effect.

The remaining two matches have been suspended and will only become active if the Rangers manager breaches Scottish FA disciplinary rule 72 again before the conclusion of the current season.

The decision provides McInnes with an earlier return to the Rangers dugout as the club prepares for an important period of the campaign.

McInnes’ Immediate Ban Reduced

The Scottish FA’s original decision meant McInnes was facing three matches on the touchline immediately, with one further match suspended.

Following Rangers’ appeal, that arrangement has now changed.

Two matches of the four-game punishment will be served immediately, while the other two have effectively been placed on hold.

Should McInnes avoid another disciplinary breach under rule 72 for the remainder of the season, those suspended matches will not have to be served.

However, another offence could trigger the additional two-game suspension.

The disciplinary rule specifically prevents managers and other individuals from criticising match officials in a way that suggests they are biased or incompetent.

It also prohibits remarks about officials that could damage or impinge upon their character.

The interview from May, when then Hearts boss McInnes expressed his disappointment over the decision to award Celtic a penalty for handball against Motherwell

That particular rule was at the centre of the case involving McInnes.

Why Was McInnes Punished?

The disciplinary case relates to comments McInnes made while he was still manager of Hearts.

His former side were involved in a dramatic title battle with Celtic towards the end of last season.

At the time, Hearts had a genuine opportunity to secure the Scottish Premiership title for the first time in decades.

McInnes became furious after Celtic were awarded a late penalty against Motherwell at Fir Park.

The decision followed a VAR review for a suspected handball involving Motherwell defender Sam Nicholson.

Celtic were eventually awarded the spot-kick during stoppage time, and they successfully converted it.

The goal proved extremely significant in the title race.

The incident that angered McInnes as VAR awarded Celtic a penalty in the dying seconds of their game at Motherwell

Celtic’s Late Penalty Changed the Title Race

The situation developed during the penultimate weekend of the Premiership season.

Hearts had defeated Falkirk, while Celtic were being held by Motherwell.

That result initially appeared to put Hearts in an excellent position.

The Edinburgh side were on course to move three points clear at the top of the table, while their superior goal difference meant they would have been crowned champions if they avoided a heavy defeat against Celtic on the final day.

However, the late penalty at Fir Park dramatically altered the situation.

Celtic converted the spot-kick and secured victory, reducing the gap between the two clubs to just one point.

The result meant everything would now be decided during the final league fixture.

For McInnes, who was managing Hearts at the time, the penalty decision was extremely difficult to accept.

McInnes Called the Decision ‘Disgusting’

Following the controversial incident, McInnes described the decision to award Celtic the penalty as “disgusting”.

Those comments subsequently became the basis for the Scottish FA disciplinary action.

The governing body determined that his remarks breached disciplinary rule 72 because they were considered criticism of a match official that could imply bias or incompetence.

McInnes was consequently handed a four-match suspension.

The original punishment would have forced him to watch three matches from the stands immediately, creating an early problem for him in his new role at Rangers.

However, the successful appeal has reduced the immediate portion of the suspension to two games.

McInnes Will Miss Falkirk and Motherwell

As a result of the revised punishment, McInnes will not be in the Rangers dugout for their next two fixtures.

The first match he will miss is Wednesday’s away trip to Falkirk.

That fixture will be shown live on Sky Sports and represents another opportunity for Rangers to build momentum after finally recording their first Premiership victory under McInnes.

The second match of his immediate suspension will come against Motherwell at Ibrox on Saturday.

McInnes will therefore have to watch both matches from the stands while his coaching staff take responsibility on the touchline.

The reduced suspension means his absence will not extend into the following week.

McInnes Returns Against St Mirren

Rangers supporters will be able to see McInnes back on the touchline for the league match against St Mirren next Wednesday.

That return could be particularly important because the club then enters a crucial period of the season.

Following the St Mirren fixture, Rangers will face Celtic twice in quick succession.

The first meeting will come in the League Cup at Ibrox on September 13.

A week later, Rangers will travel to Celtic Park for another Old Firm encounter in the Scottish Premiership.

The second match will also be shown live on Sky Sports.

McInnes’ return ahead of those fixtures means he will be able to lead his team from the touchline during one of the most significant periods of the campaign.

Difficult Beginning for McInnes

The suspension comes during what has already been a challenging opening period for McInnes as Rangers manager.

The former Hearts boss has endured a difficult introduction to life at Ibrox.

Rangers were eliminated from European competition after suffering defeats in the Europa League and subsequently the Conference League.

Those results brought their continental campaign to a disappointing conclusion much earlier than supporters would have hoped.

Domestically, however, Rangers finally secured their first Premiership victory under McInnes on Sunday.

The 1-0 success away against Aberdeen provided some much-needed relief.

Despite the importance of the result, Rangers still have ground to make up at the top of the table.

After three league matches, they remain five points behind Celtic.

The upcoming fixtures will therefore be crucial if McInnes is to close that gap.

Celtic Eventually Won the Title

The controversy surrounding the penalty became even more significant because of what happened in the final league match.

Celtic defeated Hearts on the final day of the season, securing the Premiership title and denying McInnes’ former side the opportunity to win their first top-flight championship in 66 years.

The late Motherwell penalty had therefore played a major role in changing the final standings.

What had appeared to be a potential three-point advantage for Hearts became a one-point gap heading into the decisive final fixture.

Celtic ultimately took advantage of the situation and finished as champions.

For Hearts, it was a devastating conclusion to their title challenge.

Other Punishments Followed

McInnes was not the only individual punished over the controversial penalty.

Former Motherwell player Elliot Watt was also handed a four-match suspension by the Scottish FA after describing the penalty decision as the “worst VAR decision in history”.

Motherwell themselves were also punished following the incident.

The Fir Park club received a £5,000 fine for a social media post published after the match.

The punishments demonstrate how seriously the Scottish FA treated comments surrounding the controversial decision.

Rangers Appeal Provides McInnes Relief

For Rangers and McInnes, the appeal outcome represents a positive development.

The manager will still miss two matches and must be careful not to commit another disciplinary offence under rule 72.

However, avoiding the additional two matches means he can return to the touchline sooner than originally expected.

That could prove particularly valuable given the importance of the fixtures awaiting Rangers.

McInnes will miss Falkirk and Motherwell but return against St Mirren before facing Celtic twice.

With Rangers needing to recover from their poor European campaign and close a five-point Premiership gap, having their manager back on the touchline for the Old Firm fixtures could be a significant boost.

The pressure will remain firmly on McInnes, but the reduced immediate suspension gives him an opportunity to focus on rebuilding Rangers’ domestic campaign before the biggest tests arrive.