McLeish hits out over ban on Novo
Novo and Celtic striker Henri Camara were both given one-match bans which take immediate effect, as well as 12 penalty points each, for separate incidents in the last Old Firm game on November 20.
Both players were found guilty of violent conduct by the SFA’s disciplinary committee after TV pictures showed Camara kicking on-loan Liverpool defender Gregory Vignal and Novo stamping on Stephen Pearson’s neck.
The penalty points take the duo through the points barrier, with Camara missing an additional game and Novo two additional games, both effective from December 28.
But McLeish insists Novo should never have been singled out in a game littered with flash-points.
He said: “I’m at a loss as to why that incident should be picked up and highlighted when there were so many other incidents in the game.”
Camara’s extra penalty points take him up to 18-points and means he will now miss two out of the next three SPL games, while Novo’s added punishment gives him 27 points and means he will miss three out of the next four league matches.
The Celtic player will miss Saturday’s SPL game against Dundee United at Parkhead, regain eligibility for the St Stephen’s Day fixture against Hearts at Tynecastle, but then miss out on the next league game against Livingston at home on January 2.
Novo will miss Rangers weekend game against Kilmarnock at Rugby Park but be back for the home fixture against Motherwell on December 27.
However, Novo will then also miss the next two SPL games against Dundee United at Tannadice on New Year’s Day and against Dunfermline at Ibrox on January 15.
Both players are clear to play in the Old Firm Scottish Cup third-round tie, on January 9 at Parkhead. After the hearing at Hampden, Camara, left with manager Martin O’Neill and other club officials. Novo exited by the underground tunnel.
It is not yet known whether either club will appeal, but an SFA spokesman confirmed the ban and outlined the appeals procedure.
The fallout from last month’s volatile Old Firm clash is set to continue after an SFA spokesman revealed they had written again to Rangers defender Bob Malcolm regarding his behaviour during his side’s 2-0 victory over Celtic.
During a tempestuous 90 minutes Malcolm, a substitute, was spoken to by police for over zealous celebrations. The SFA spokesman said the matter had been discussed but refused to reveal the punishment, if any, handed out to the Rangers defender until the Ibrox club had been informed.
At the same meeting Dundee United manager Ian McCall was “warned and severely censured about his future behaviour” after a show of dissent in United’s final league match against Celtic at Parkhead last season.
The Tannadice boss threw away his notebook in rage before being sent to the stand by referee John Underhill.
Hearts boss John Robertson will have to wait until the SFA’s disciplinary committee’s next meeting in the New Year to find out his fate after referee John Rowbotham reported him for alleged comments after their 1-0 defeat by Motherwell.
However, alleged comments made by Robertson in the media following the same match will be dealt with by the SFA’s general purposes committee.
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