Lennon and McCoist banned for cup final

NEIL LENNON and Ally McCoist are both set to watch next week’s Co-operative Insurance Cup final from the stand after being handed touchline bans by the Scottish Football Association following their altercation at the end of last week’s ill-tempered Old Firm derby.

Celtic manager Lennon and Rangers assistant boss McCoist were yesterday charged with misconduct as the fallout of the volatile Scottish Cup fifth-round replay at Parkhead continued.

Lennon was already banished to the stands for the March 20 cup final with Rangers at Hampden Park, but now McCoist will join him in being banned from the touchline after their fracas at the end of last week’s match.

Celtic boss Lennon and McCoist have incurred four- and two-match suspensions, respectively, but there are poised to be further punishments handed out, with two of the three Rangers players sent off in the 1-0 loss set to face further sanctions.

El-Hadji Diouf, who was shown a red card after the final whistle, and team-mate Madjid Bougherra have been reported to the SFA’s disciplinary committee for “misconduct of a significantly serious nature”.

Rangers had finished the game with nine men after the first-half dismissal of Steven Whittaker for picking up two yellow cards, with defender Bougherra receiving his marching orders in stoppage time after a challenge on Kris Commons, having been booked earlier.

Last week SFA chief executive Stewart Regan confirmed an investigation would take place.

Strathclyde Police requested Scotland’s First Minister Alex Salmond host an Old Firm summit in the aftermath of the match and on Wednesday Celtic and Rangers agreed to an action plan in an effort to avert repetitions of the bad behaviour on and off the field.

The sixth Old Firm derby of the season will take place at Hampden a week on Sunday, with the League Cup the prize, while there will be a further fixture in the Clydesdale Bank Premier League, with that title also at stake.

While Lennon faces an eight-match touchline absence, with the fresh charge adding to his prior penalty, McCoist will miss the Hampden final and the April 2 SPL clash with Dundee United.

The teams have the right of appeal but it is not yet clear if one will be lodged.

Lennon has been the subject of death threats recently, both through the mail and online.

Celtic chief executive Peter Lawwell believes Lennon’s personal situation contributed to his reaction at the final whistle and the subsequent confrontation with McCoist.

Lawwell said on Wednesday: “He’s got to put up with the live ammunition going through the post, the bomb threats, 24-hour surveillance, the security measures the club are putting in place with Strathclyde Police. It’s quite a lot to take on at the moment.”