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McInnes Touchline Ban Cut to Two Games After Appeal

Rangers manager Derek McInnes saw his four‑match touchline ban, handed by the Scottish FA, reduced after an appeal. The original sanction required three games to be served immediately, with the final game reserved for a potential future breach of disciplinary rule 72. The appeal hearing lowered the immediate component to two matches, leaving the remaining two to be triggered only if McInnes again violates rule 72 before the season ends. Rule 72 prohibits officials from criticizing match officials or making remarks that could be seen as questioning their character. McInnes had sparked the dispute by describing a penalty awarded to Celtic against Motherwell in May as "disgusting". He will first return to the stands for the Wednesday trip to Falkirk, then re‑join the touchline for the league match against St Mirren the following Wednesday. After that he will face Celtic in a League Cup tie on 13 September, followed by a Premiership clash at Celtic Park a week later. The reduced ban means McInnes can resume coaching duties sooner while still facing a conditional suspension should he breach the rule again.

· Sky Sports

The essential points

  1. 01Rangers manager Derek McInnes’ four‑match touchline ban cut to two immediate games after appeal
  2. 02The remaining two matches will only be enforced if rule 72 is breached again before season’s end
  3. 03McInnes sparked the ban by calling a Motherwell‑Celtic penalty "disgusting"
  4. 04He will return to the touchline for the St Mirren match on 9 September and face Celtic in a double‑header in September
The full brief

Rangers manager Derek McInnes saw his four‑match touchline ban, handed by the Scottish FA, reduced after an appeal. The original sanction required three games to be served immediately, with the final game reserved for a potential future breach of disciplinary rule 72. The appeal hearing lowered the immediate component to two matches, leaving the remaining two to be triggered only if McInnes again violates rule 72 before the season ends.

Rule 72 prohibits officials from criticizing match officials or making remarks that could be seen as questioning their character. McInnes had sparked the dispute by describing a penalty awarded to Celtic against Motherwell in May as "disgusting". He will first return to the stands for the Wednesday trip to Falkirk, then re‑join the touchline for the league match against St Mirren the following Wednesday.

After that he will face Celtic in a League Cup tie on 13 September, followed by a Premiership clash at Celtic Park a week later. The reduced ban means McInnes can resume coaching duties sooner while still facing a conditional suspension should he breach the rule again.