Robbo’s return ends in ruins

Stewart Fisher at Tynecastle

JOHN ROBERTSON’S Tynecastle homecoming ended in acrimony last night with referee John Rowbotham reporting the Hearts manager for foul and abusive langauge towards him and Robertson accusing the official of “lying” about the incident.

Robertson was called into the referee’s office after his team’s 1-0 defeat to Motherwell, amid claims that he had called Rowbotham a “f****** cheat”. The original bone of contention was a 27th-minute turning point in which a mis-timed Alan Maybury challenge led to Richie Foran despatching the game’s only goal from the penalty spot, and the Irish international full-back being shown a red card for denying Martyn Corrigan a clear goalscoring opportunity. One suspects the Hearts boss’s post-match diatribe is likely to be of more interest when the SFA’s disciplinary committee discuss the subject.

Even if it is only to save the governing body some time, it is probably worth including an extended extract at this point. “He [Rowbotham] has cheated the fans out of a good game today,” Robertson said. “I made my feelings clear. Then he called me to his office and lied. As simple as that. He has told me that I swore at him which I didn’t and I have witnesses to prove that. No doubt I’ll be in front of the SFA, but referees have got to be called to task. I have four or five witnesses that I didn’t swear at him in the tunnel, yet Mr Rowbotham swears that I did. So that just about sums about his day. He must have made it up.

“He has sent the player off for an alleged goalscoring opportunity, but Martyn Corrigan is not going to get a shot in on goal,” Robertson added. “Then we have two stonewall penalties turned down. Terry Butcher has admitted there was one where Mark de Vries was shoved in the penalty area, but Mr Rowbotham unfortunately missed that one, then there was one where Graham Weir was shoved over. Even at the end he signals three minutes and only plays two. Some of the decisions Mr Rowbotham clearly kept giving against us were shocking. It was scandalous.”

The result had other disturbing ramifications for the home side. Robertson’s first domestic defeat with his new club also meant Hearts surrendering the title of the pre-eminent Edinburgh SPL team to Hibs ahead of Thursday’s trip to Basel to play a make-or-break Uefa Cup tie. At least Maybury will not join Paul Hartley and Patrick Kisnorbo on the suspended list for the Swiss trip. Instead, he will serve his ban on the trip to Ibrox next Sunday.

Terry Butcher had more pleasant things to reflect upon, as the Lanarkshire side leapt back into the top six. Butcher was even magnanimous enough to sympathise with Robertson, before attempting to calm him down with a glass of red wine. “I wouldn’t say John was right to be angry but I thought we were fortunate to get away with some decisions,” Butcher said.

For the first 20 minutes, with Steven Pressley and De Vries restored in a 4-3-3 formation, Hearts tried to live up to their manager’s expectations.

First De Vries tried to cushion a header to Dennis Wyness when testing the keeper appeared more sensible, then Maybury took a shot early on his right foot which struck the outside of the post.

Shortly afterwards, a header from Jamie McAllister flew wide of the near post.

A snap Clarkson shot which forced Gordon to palm over was the first signal of Motherwell’s intent. Next up was youngster Mark Fitzpatrick, who blasted over after Pressley had misjudged a high ball into the box.

The game’s crucial moment duly arrived. Steven Hammell’s long pass was killed by Clarkson, and the youngster rolled an inch-perfect pass which left Corrigan clear on goal. The backtracking Maybury careered into the back of him and Rowbotham was perfectly justified in administering a penalty kick and a straight red card.

Foran simply wrongfooted Craig Gordon from the spot for his third penalty of the season. Minutes into the second half, the same player could have made the game safe, but hit the post with the goal gaping.

Instead, we got even more controversy, in the form of the two unclear Hearts penalty incidents which never were, and a booking administered for Ramon Pereira after he plunged to the turf after contact with Gordon Marshall. The result stayed unchanged. The day’s other outcome will be resolved by the SFA’s disciplinary committee.

21 November 2004

Taken from the Sunday Herald