DEREK McINNES will be missing from the dug-out at Pittodrie on Saturday for the visit of Champions Elect Celtic after the Aberdeen manager was hit with a one match ban at Hampden today, with an additional one match suspended ban.
McInnes was red-carded in the Scottish Cup Final defeat to Celtic last month. Celtic won the match 3-0 and two Aberdeen players were sent off while both McInnes and his assistant Tony Docherty were giving their marching orders for offences on the touchline.
Dom Ball was given a second yellow card for a horrible challenge on Ryan Christie which ended the Celtic midfielder’s season and meant he had to get surgery to repair the extensive damage to his face.
Then Lewis Ferguson was shown a straight red card for a disgraceful two footed challenge on Tom Rogic. The Australian was lucky not to suffer a serious injury himself and took his revenge by scoring Celtic’s third goal of the afternoon shortly after play resumed.
McInnes claimed he responded to a section of the Celtic support chanting the disgraceful ‘Cheer Up’ song by directing a ‘Get it Up Ye’ gesture to the section of our support who were chanting this outdated song, that should have no place in our song-book. You can take the boy out of Glasgow and all that.
It is doubtful that ANY Celtic Supporters were in the slightest bit bothered by McInnes’ reaction at Hampden but the Scottish FA weren’t happy and today he found out his punishment.
Celtic rightly condemned the Cheer Up song but all pointed out that Aberdeen had had nothing to say whatsoever about their own fans at Hampden who chanted the offensive ‘Paedo, Paedo’ chant as well as the one about “Jimmy Saville – He’s one of your own” – both the definition of offensive chanting.
“I accept the punishment,” McInnes said ahead his hearing. “I wish I hadn’t responded but I also feel there were a lot of real mitigating circumstances. Hopefully, that gets looked at. I’m just keen to get it resolved.”
So on Saturday when Celtic play Aberdeen at Pittodrie, McInnes will be watching from the stand, the Celtic support have collectively agreed that the Cheer Up song has ‘No Place in Paradise” or in the away section at grounds around the country which we visit and the Aberdeen fans will be called out if they indulge in their offensive chanting once again.
And Aberdeen FC will be asked for their comment on their fans chants. Hopefully none of that happens and we can all just enjoy the football.
McInnes was scheduled to have his hearing on Friday but asked for it to be brought forward 24 hours so that he could attend Billy McNeill’s funeral tomorrow.
The Good, the Bad and the Ugly – The World of Celtic over the last few days
