The ruling followed July's highly contentious MacAulay Cup semi-final between Newtonmore and Fort William.

During the game, referee Calum Duff came under fire from supporters of the club and substitutes on the touchline. He subsequently quit as a referee.

The club has now been warned by the governing body that they will come down heavily on any recurrence of a breach of the code of conduct for players or for spectators.

It would likely result in Newtonmore facing the most severe penalty handed out to a club in several years.

Two players, Newtonmore's Glen MacKintosh and Fort William's Adam Robertson were red carded before the Eilan side went on to win 5-3 after extra-time.

Both sendings off made by Mr Duff were highly dubious by common consensus.

Ironically, the two clubs meet again in round one of the forthcoming season's competition.

As requested by the association, Newtonmore had provided a full report on their view of the incidents on the day.

They freely accepted at the outset of the investigation that some Newtonmore substitutes and supporters did not behave in a proper manner.

The Eilan club's report stated: "As a result of this, some substitutes were given a reprimand by the club and warned as to their future conduct.

"We immediately introduced a ruling that at the clubhouse side, only the coach and one other official are allowed at the touchline with everyone else behind the barrier (including children).

"Before each game it is our intention to explain this arrangement to the referee.

"We hope the same rule will be applied to visiting teams who tend to occupy the other side.

"We now have a protocol that if any situation develops in the future we would make a loudspeaker announcement.

"Also we are going to ensure that all season ticket holders are given a copy of the code of conduct for spectators for 2009."

The club committee also felt it was important to correct what they described as both factual inaccuracies and differences of interpretation of events contained in Mr Duff's report on the match.

As well as the detailed response, they submitted the match reported that appeared in the 'Strathy' after the clash.

From the club's report, it is clear that Newtonmore had previously expressed concern at the appointment of Duff for the match.

Dave Fallows

They felt he would not impose his authority on players and made the point that they felt that was indeed what had happened.

This was "a task made more difficult for him by his complete inability to keep up with what was a fast game," their report said.

The club also said that the referee had been in the wrong in the two incidents leading to the sending off of Glen MacKintosh.

They make the point that the referee was "a considerable distance from the incidents".

The club's report added: "The second case in the 79th minute was 100% clear cut and observed by more than 100 people close up while Calum was about 30 yards away.

"Mark Lawrie's stick broke when he went into the tackle. He then grabbed Glen's stick and as Glen tried to wrestle it away he held on to it and then picked up the ball with his other hand.

"Glen's stick did not touch Mark. Mark was hit by one of the broken bits of his own stick as he fell.

"Calum clearly awarded the foul in favour of Newtonmore.

"Not for the first time that afternoon two Fort William players ran over and remonstrated with him.

"He then sent off Glen and changed his decision and awarded the foul to Fort William."

The club fully accepted that it was at this point that the behaviour of some substitutes and spectators deteriorated.

They went on to correct what they say were other factual inaccuracies in the referee's report.

The Eilan club also pointed out that it is normal practice to pay referees in coins from the collection at the gate.

Mr Duff appeared to have expressed the view that this was 'pettiness' on the part of the club.

In their account, the club did not highlight the loss of MacKintosh for two key games which determined the club's season – which had added to fans' anger.

His influential presence was denied for Newtonmore's Camanachd Cup tie against Kingussie and the Macaulay Cup Final, both of which they lost.

Printer friendly version

Email this article to a friend

Bookmark this

---