St Mirren boss Craig McLeish charged by Scottish FA over referee remarks
St Mirren manager Craig McLeish has been charged by the Scottish FA for breaching rule 72 after criticizing referee Sean Murdoch following a League Cup loss to Dunfermline.
Following St Mirren’s elimination from the League Cup by Dunfermline, manager Craig McLeish publicly suggested referee Sean Murdoch might be biased, saying “who was he a goalkeeper for?”. The Scottish FA responded by charging the 36-year-old under disciplinary rule 72, which forbids officials from being publicly accused of bias or incompetence. McLeish later claimed the remark was made in jest, but a disciplinary hearing has been scheduled for 27 August.
St Mirren issued a brief statement confirming receipt of the notice and indicating it will assess the situation before deciding on further steps. The case echoes recent punishments handed to Rangers manager Derek McInnes and former Motherwell player Elliot Watt for comparable comments. All six opening-week Scottish Premiership matches will be shown live on one outlet, with St Mirren’s season opener at Falkirk slated for Saturday.
Why it matters
The charge highlights the Scottish FA’s enforcement of conduct rules that can affect team leadership and match officiating standards.
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