Shire boss to take SFA to court

By Jim Spence

McInally became involved in an argument with Cowdenbeath's bench

East Stirlingshire coach Jim McInally says he will challenge the Scottish Football Association in court over his 12-match touchline ban and £1000 fine.

McInally says his appeal against the severity of the punishment for a touchline row has been rejected because he did not submit it soon enough.

"The club lawyer wants a good long sit down with me," he told BBC Scotland.

"And we are prepared to take this all the way. We'll go straight down the legal route now."

McInally received the ban from SFA for "excessive misconduct" after being sent sent to the stand twice by the referee during May's 1-1 draw against Cowdenbeath.

The match ended Shire's hopes of gaining promotion from the Third Division and McInally apologised for his behaviour after the match, describing his reaction as a "disgrace".

McInally has already been serving an automatic four-match touchline ban for being sent to the stand twice when the SFA made its latest decision this month.

The club's lawyer e-mailed and phoned the SFA to notify them of our decision and had it accepted by an official Shire chairman Les Thomson

"Originally, I was just going to let the matter go," he said. "But, after discussing it with my family and the people I trust most in football, I have decided to fight it.

"Other people have got shorter bans for a lot worse and the fine is ridiculous in comparison to what I earn.

"A lot of thought has gone into it. But I can't sit back and have people making comments to members of my family about me being a thug. I am anything but."

Shire "strenuously deny" that they missed the deadline for informing the SFA about their appeal.

Chairman Les Thomson said: "We were told we had seven days to register our appeal. We took our time and thought carefully about what we should do.

"The club's lawyer e-mailed and phoned the SFA to notify them of our decision and had it accepted by an official that the appeal would be allowed.

"Now we are told that it won't be heard because it has been time barred. Our lawyer will be discussing this further with the SFA on Monday."

On Thursday, the final day Shire believed it could tell the SFA of any intention to appeal, Jim said he had had a change of heart.

McInally, who had already served two matches of the punishment, had expected to back in the dugout for Saturday's Third Division match at home to Elgin City.

The former Dundee United and Celtic midfielder will now sit in the stands until his side face Montrose on 5 December.

Meanwhile, the club have asked Scotland's head of referee development, Hugh Dallas, to help improve player discipline.

As a result, Grade One official, Stephen Finnie, will attend a Shire training session next week to explain to the players how referees interpret the laws of the game and make them aware of any changes to them that players may have missed.

In three matches this season, McInally's team have accumulated one red card and seven yellows - four of which have been for dissent.