SFA ready to act on report of Ferguson's folly

punishment after all, writes James Traynor.

The Rangers striker can expect to be called to serious account by the

SFA, who received a report yesterday from the match supervisor, Mike

Delaney, and part of his submission makes reference to the incident.

Inexplicably, referee Kenny Clark missed Ferguson's reaction at the

end of the skirmish with McStay, who claimed he had suffered a cut lip,

and because they say they do not take into account television evidence,

the SFA would have been unable to act had the supervisor also been

negligent. His report will be read with interest by the association's

referee committee when they meet on Monday.

SFA chief executive Jim Farry, who was contacted in Vienna and

informed of the arrival of the supervisor's report, said: ''There is a

reference to an alleged incident in the report and, once discussed, the

referee committee will seek to obtain the views of the club, player, and

referee.''

The likelihood is that Ferguson will be severely punished. It is known

that the SFA are dismayed and angry at what happened and Ferguson can

expect the worst, even though his own club will take stern action in an

attempt to bring a wayward player to heel.

Earlier this season, the SFA extended a suspension imposed on Ian

Ferguson to six matches after the Rangers midfield player had spat at

Gordan Petric. The Dundee United defender had provoked Ferguson by the

use of an elbow, but even so Ferguson was hit hard.

Rangers' other Ferguson will find the association similarly

unsympathetic and he will be left in no doubt that his temperament will

have to be curbed.

* THE SFA's international committee met in Vienna yesterday, when it

was decided that the five-day rule concerning the release of players for

international duty would be strenuously enforced.

Craig Brown, therefore, will be able to insist that any player he may

choose for the European Championship qualifying ties, which start in

September, be released by his club five days before the match.

Also, if any player withdraws without fulfulling the necessary medical

requirements that player will be prevented from playing for his club the

Saturday after the internationl for which he was selected.

However, those players who are genuinely injured and who show up at

the designated meeting points to be checked by the SFA's medical people

will be allowed to play for their clubs the following Saturday should

they recover fitness in time. Jim Farry and some other members of the

SFA international committee will be back in Vienna next Thursday for a

UEFA meeting at which they will strongly oppose the moves to have

European club competition ties played on different nights.

UEFA, who see the chance to take more money from television companies

by offering a wider range of attractive fixtures, want UEFA Cup ties to

take place on Tuesdays with European Cup ties the following night and

Cup-winners' Cup matches played on Thursdays.

If this change is imposed it could mean difficulties for Dundee

United, for instance, who will play in the Cup-winners' Cup next season

-- Rangers are virtually certain to win the premier division

championship rendering the Scottish Cup final result meaningless so far

as European places are concerned -- and might be drawn to play in some

remote part of Eastern Europe on a Thursday.

They could be left with little time to travel home and recover before

playing their domestic league match on the Saturday.

At the very least, the SFA are seeking flexibility to protect their

own clubs.