Derek McInnes has been hit with a notice of complaint by the Scottish Football Association (SFA) after branding the decision to award Celtic a stoppage-time penalty against Motherwell as 'disgusting'. The former Hearts manager, who has since taken over at Rangers, will face a disciplinary hearing on July 16 over his comments.
The Controversial Penalty Decision
The incident occurred during the final day of the Premiership season at Fir Park, where referee John Beaton awarded Celtic a 96th-minute penalty following a VAR review by Andrew Dallas. The decision, which saw Motherwell's Sam Nicholson penalised for handball, sparked widespread criticism, with former Match of the Day host Gary Lineker calling it the 'worst VAR decision' he had ever seen.
Kelechi Iheanacho converted the spot kick, keeping Celtic just one point behind Hearts heading into the final day. Hearts had earlier beaten Falkirk 3-0 at Tynecastle, meaning a three-goal defeat at Parkhead would have cost them their first league title in 66 years. However, Celtic's late penalty and subsequent 3-1 comeback win—after falling behind to a Lawrence Shankland goal—ensured they clinched the title on goal difference.
McInnes' Reaction and SFA Response
Asked about the decision after Hearts' victory, McInnes was scathing. 'When you heard Celtic got a 96th minute penalty that was going to VAR and they were checking it, you just assume what’s happened is they get the penalty,' he said. 'Having seen it again, it’s disgusting. It is. I don’t think it’s a penalty kick. But we’re up against it. We’re up against everybody.'
The SFA has now issued a notice of complaint to McInnes and Motherwell midfielder Elliott Watt for their comments. The disciplinary hearings are scheduled for July 16, with McInnes potentially facing sanctions for his remarks.
