One elderly fan, a devoted supporter of over sixty years standing, expressed his disgust at the wild challenges and sheer folly which lead to Saturday’s reduction to eight players.
One poster on the FirParkCorner messageboard pointed out that in sixteen games we have amassed a total of forty four bookings and five dismissals. The inevitable suspensions which will do us considerable harm later in the season are bad enough but the battered reputation of the club could be a longer term casualty.
We were fined five thousand pounds last season for our poor disciplinary record and there seems no way that we will avoid further punishment this year. The SFA has a duty to encourage clubs to adhere to the rules of the game and we are in flagrant disregard at the moment.
We were fortunate that Saturday’s referee bottled a couple of decisions. There seems no doubt that McFadden was fortunate to escape a red card for the assault on Townsley and DuBourdeau could have been cautioned for conceding the last minute penalty. Of course he could have noticed one or two incidents when Hibs’ players were out of order but that cannot be used as an excuse.
The Corinthian ideal has long departed the professional football game. Outrageous claims are routinely made for throw-ins, corners, penalties and the like. But surely we have to avoid the notion that winning at any cost is acceptable.
Of course, we realise that the team is young and enthusiastic. They are still gaining experience and they are paying a heavy price for the steep learning curve. But they can’t help the team from the sidelines.
Get a grip lads!