Hartley awaits fate over New Year's Day 'kick'
STUART BATHGATE

PAUL Hartley will appear before the SFA's disciplinary committee today on a charge of "significantly serious misconduct" during Hearts' match against Celtic on New Year's Day.

The SFA's review panel, at a meeting on 9 January, decided that Hartley had a case to answer after watching video footage of an incident in which the Scotland midfielder appeared to kick Ross Wallace of Celtic. The referee, Iain Brines, failed to notice the incident during the Tynecastle match, which Hearts lost 3-2.

If the panel decides Hartley is guilty of violent conduct he could be ruled out of action at a crucial stage of Hearts' season. In previous cases of misdemeanours caught on camera, such as those involving Fernando Ricksen of Rangers and Bobo Balde of Celtic, four-match and two-match bans respectively were handed down.

Hearts play Aberdeen in the Scottish Cup at Tynecastle on Saturday, then visit Dundee United on league duty next Tuesday. Their next scheduled fixtures after that are both at home in the SPL - against Aberdeen again and then against Motherwell.

The only possible mitigating circumstance in Hartley's case would appear to be a plea that he was acting in retaliation. Some viewers of the incident believe it shows Wallace's arm making contact with the Hearts player just before the kick. If the panel decides that was the case, they would then have to determine whether the contact by Wallace was intentional. But, even if they did so, they would surely still regard Hartley's reaction as a disproportionate response.

Besides Hartley, Billy Dodds and Jimmy Calderwood could also be reprimanded following their touchline squabble during the cup-tie at Tannadice.

Aberdeen's victorious manager and Dundee United's Dodds clashed angrily after the final whistle.

Taken from the Scotsman