Aberdeen will study the SFA’s explanation for the severity of boss Jim Goodwin’s eight-game ban before launching an appeal.
The Reds will battle the hefty punishment given to Goodwin for comments made about Hibs defender Ryan Porteous.
But the Pittodrie hierarchy first want to scrutinise the SFA’s reasons for the length of the ban to ensure they have as strong a case as possible in their appeal.
The Dons have five days to launch an appeal from receiving the SFA’s report.
Goodwin admits he is “very disappointed” at the ban.
The Reds gaffer was hit with an immediate six game ban with a further two suspended until the end of the season.
The Dons boss has already served one match of the ban as he had to watch from the stands as his side lost 4-o at Dundee United.
Unless an appeal is successful he will miss the next five games against Hearts (home), Partick Thistle (h, League Cup), Motherwell (a), Rangers (a) and Hibs (h).
The 40-year-old will return to the dugout for the Premiership clash at Livingston on November 8.
Goodwin said: “I haven’t actually been given a date for the hearing.
“We need to go through the written stuff the SFA have sent us then we will lodge our appeal.
“Depending on when we receive the information from the SFA five days after that is normally the length of time you get to put the appeal in.”
‘I tried to give an honest assessment’
Goodwin accused defender Porteous of “blatant cheating” in his post-match interview following the Dons’ 3-1 defeat at Easter Road last month.
The SFA charged the Dons boss for alleged breaches of disciplinary rules 73 and 77, which cover offensive, improper and/or insulting statements and conduct.
Goodwin admits to feeling “a little bit of embarrassment” that he is at the centre of controversy regarding such a hefty ban.
He also says he doesn’t like the club being dragged into such a situation.
Goodwin insists he tried to give an honest assessment of the contentious penalty issue between Porteous and Aberdeen’s Liam Scales at Easter Road.
The Dons were leading 1-0 when referee David Dickinson awarded Hibs a penalty and sent off Scales having brandished a second yellow.
Down to 10 men, Aberdeen would lose 3-1.
Footage of the incident confirmed Porteous had dragged Scales to the ground.
Goodwin said: “I don’t like my name being out there under these circumstances.
“I don’t like bringing this type of thing on the club either.
“So there is a little bit of embarrassment there from my own personal point of view.
“In hindsight could I have said things differently, I probably could.
“Would my thoughts of the situation been any different, I’m not so sure.
“I tried to give an honest assessment.
“You want to speak your mind but unfortunately sometimes we are not allowed – and I need to learn that.”
‘There are so many rules and regulations that I wasn’t aware of in the SFA handbook’
Goodwin says he will have to remain “tight-lipped” and that his interviews will now be “extremely boring” as you “clearly can’t speak your mind anymore”.
The Dons boss insists there are so many rules and regulations in the SFA’s rule book he may have to study them to get a clearer picture of what he can, and can’t say.
The severity of Goodwin’s ban is in stark contrast to the SFA and compliance officer Andrew Phillips’ stance on comments made by Robbie Neilson.
In March this year Hearts’ boss Neilson accused then Aberdeen midfielder Lewis Ferguson of “blatant cheating”.
However no action was taken against Neilson.
Goodwin said: “I am having to stay tight-lipped and that is purely down to the fact we are going to lodge an appeal.
“My interviews are going to be extremely boring from now on because quite clearly you can’t speak your mind anymore.
“I’m very disappointed and we will see what comes from the appeal.
“I like to be honest and I think it’s far more interesting when you give an honest opinion, although not everyone will agree with it.
“But there are so many rules and regulations that I wasn’t aware of in the SFA handbook.
“There are hundreds of pages.
“So maybe I should spend a bit of time reading that and then I will know what I can and cannot say in the future.
“I know it is the major talking point and it is no good to me being suspended either.
“We are going to do what we can this week and get the appeal in and see what the outcome.”
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