McInnes could be in stand for first Old Firm game

Derek McInnes, the manager of Rangers, could be present in the stands for his team's first Old Firm match following a hearing date set for his appeal against a four-match touchline ban. This ban, issued in July, is related to remarks McInnes made during his time as Hearts' manager about a late penalty awarded to Celtic in a May match at Motherwell.

The reported decision by Celtic, which resulted in a 3-2 victory over Rangers in a May 13 game, kept Celtic one point behind Hearts, who eventually won the title after a final-day decider.

McInnes expressed his disagreement with the ban, stating, "I don't agree with it and the club don't agree with it. I'm glad that we're going to appeal against that." He emphasized that he never intended to make the situation personal and that he made his points during the hearing. McInnes added, "At no point was I wanting to inflame a situation.

The situation was already being discussed before I did my Press conference. It was quite a big moment in the season and there was a lot of emotion, but I felt as though what I said was controlled."

The Scottish FA's head of referees, Willie Collum, backed the original decision, citing clear evidence of Motherwell's Sam Nicholson's hand and arm in an unnatural position, resulting in a handball that led to the penalty. Referee John Beaton's contact information was publicly disclosed, leading to a teenager being charged with a data protection offense.

Rangers' statement highlighted the importance of managers, players, and clubs being able to speak candidly about major decisions without fear of intimidation, emphasizing that scrutiny and transparency are essential for raising standards and maintaining trust in Scottish football.