Celtic loanee Leigh Griffiths has been charged by The SFA with excessive misconduct as a result of the incident in the League Cup defeat to St Johnstone. Social media footage depicted ithsGriffiths responding to illicit chants from the away end by booting a lit flare off the field and into the stand.
Police Scotland charged a 31-year-old in relation with the incident for culpable and reckless conduct. The SFA have charged the striker for the conduct, which could result in a lengthy ban if found guilty at the hearing on Thursday 14th of October. McPake, however, played down the change and backed his player to get on with it.
🎥⚽️ Watch : @DundeeFC manager James McPake says it’s business as usual for Leigh Griffiths after he was charged by the @ScottishFA over a smoke bomb incident at a game last week. the Dees are at @StJohnstone on Saturday.
🗣 Speaking to our Sports Editor Dave Galloway 👇 pic.twitter.com/WJJg12zOMS
— Radio Tay News (@RadioTayNews) September 29, 2021
The player, who scored 123 goals for Celtic, will know that there is almost no chance that he will return to Parkhead but he can at least play football at Dundee. He has been offered a number of chances in recent times but fitness issues have left him struggling for game time. The sideshow regarding his Instagram amplified concerns about whether Griffiths would take Celtic battle for the league seriously sparking a loan move just weeks after the decision to offer him an extension.
