Hawick midfielder Paul Tansey was sent off during a Scottish Cup clash against Penicuik after he jumped into the crowd, pulled off his shirt and confronted a jeering fan. Video footage of the incident was widely shared on social media.
Incident Details
Tansey, the brother of former Celtic striker Leigh Griffiths, was making his way to the dugout when he spotted a fan shouting at him. He climbed over a wall, removed his top and challenged the supporter. Two members of staff intervened to pull him away from the fan, who smiled and continued jeering.
The referee showed Tansey a red card for his actions. Hawick boss Kenny Aitchison criticised the midfielder's behaviour and said the matter was being handled internally.
Club Response
Aitchison said: "We've had a chat after the game and this morning after everything calmed down. It's being dealt with internally. The club cannot comment further until the referee's report comes in and we speak to the player again, that is the due process."
He added: "This is out of character for the Paul we have seen over the last 18 months as a club. We have never had any incident with him and he's always been a good trainer and he treats staff and younger players well."
Match Outcome
Despite Tansey's dismissal, Hawick equalised and forced extra time. Penicuik's Daryl Healy scored the eventual winner, securing their passage to the next round.
The 40-year-old Tansey has spent his career in Scotland's lower leagues, playing for clubs such as Musselburgh Athletic, Newtongrange, Penicuik, Dalkeith and East Fife. His brother Griffiths, a former Scotland international, played for Celtic, Dundee, Wolves, Livingston and Falkirk, winning seven league titles with Celtic before moving to Australia to play for Stirling Macedonia.
