Buckie Thistle boss Graeme Stewart is hoping he won’t be banned for the Scottish Cup clash with Celtic – but says the difference will be minimal if he is.
Stewart is now awaiting contact from the Scottish FA to find out if he will be handed an immediate ban or whether a hearing will be scheduled for a later date.
An immediate suspension would prevent Stewart from being in the dugout for Sunday’s fourth round tie against the Hoops at Parkhead and in the dressing room before the game and at half-time.
He hopes he may avoid a ban, but says whatever happens Buckie’s preparation won’t be disrupted.
Stewart said: “I’m still waiting to hear from the SFA and we’ll deal with it when it comes.
“Ideally I’m hoping I’m not banned because nobody likes being banned.
“But rules are rules and we’ll just have to go along with what’s said. But I’m optimistic.
“It makes no difference to the preparation – it would just mean I wouldn’t be able to speak to the boys from an hour before the game.
“I wouldn’t be able to go in the changing room at half-time, but overall it would make little difference.
“If I’m in the stand, I might see things a bit more clearly.
“It wouldn’t make as much difference as people might think, but whatever happens we’ll deal with it and have things in place to ensure it makes as small a difference as possible.”
‘I thought I would be OK’
Stewart entered the field of play at Christie Park to try to calm down a flashpoint between the sides following an Alex Thoirs challenge on Max Barry.
He added: “I thought I would be OK and hadn’t done too much wrong, but unfortunately (referee) Harry Bruce said there were rules that if you go on the pitch you get sent off.
“It is what it is – I thought I was trying to help the situation, but obviously I wasn’t.”
Conversation