St Mirren manager Jim Goodwin has been handed a three-match touchline ban, one suspended, for a misconduct charge.
The Buddies boss claimed referee Don Robertson had “cost” his team a place in the top six after handing Hamilton a controversial late free-kick in their final Premiership match before the split.
Accies levelled which allowed St Johnstone to beat the Paisley men to the final place in the top half of the table.
Goodwin was sent off after the final whistle for arguing about the decision and said: “I think he’s cost us a top-six place and far too many times we find ourselves sitting here talking about the standard of refereeing.”
Before the Scottish Football Association disciplinary hearing on Thursday, the former St Mirren captain had backtracked a bit, saying: “In hindsight, it wasn’t just Don Robertson’s fault. I still don’t agree with the free-kick but it was our fault as a team for not being organised to deal with the cross coming into the box.
“Sometimes you do and say things when emotions get the better of you but when you calm down you sometimes regret.”
St Mirren’s next two games are at home to Inverness in the Scottish Cup on Friday and Ross County away in the Premiership next Wednesday.
Goodwin was charged under Disciplinary Rule 203: No member of Team Staff shall commit Misconduct at a match.
The Irishman’s third match is suspended until 31st December 2021, applicable only if he breaches Disciplinary Rule 203 within this period.
A statement on St Mirren’s official website read: “St Mirren can confirm that manager Jim Goodwin has been issued a three-match suspension after breaching Disciplinary Rule 203 in the match against Hamilton Academical on Saturday 20th March.
“Jim will serve two matches immediately beginning with tomorrow night’s match against Inverness Caledonian Thistle with a further match suspended until 31st December 2021.”
The disciplinary hearing regarding Raith Rovers’ Iain Davidson’s alleged discriminatory comments towards Inverness attacker Nikolay Todorov has been adjourned until a later date.
The 37-year-old was charged with “excessive misconduct” after being sent off following an aerial challenge on Todorov last month.
He was hit with a five-game ban after he received two red cards during the Championship encounter, which Thistle won 1-0.
Earlier in the week, Inverness had vowed to “robustly defend” Todorov from an excessive misconduct charge from the same game as they alleged the Bulgarian forward was subjected to racist abuse.
Solicitor Aamer Anwar, acting on Todorov’s behalf, added: “Nikolay Todorov vehemently denies that he is guilty of any misconduct. He sees the allegations as spurious and believes the facts will speak for themselves at a full hearing in due course.”
