Dunfermline boss Jim McIntyre has won his appeal against a two-match touchline ban handed down by the SFA for comments he made in the aftermath of the game against Rangers at the start of this month.
The Pars manager described referee Steve Conroy’s decision to award a penalty when Sone Aluko tumbled in the Dunfermline box as a ”disgrace”.
Nikica Jelavic converted the spot-kick for what turned out to be the winning goal but Aluko was subsequently handed a two-match ban for diving.
McIntyre travelled through to Hampden after taking Pars training on Thursday afternoon to successfully plead his case and he will take his place in the dug-out when the Pars face St Johnstone on Saturday.
He said: ”I was able to explain that my words were about the decision and the not the overall performance of the referee. I received a fair hearing and I’m delighted with the result.”
With McIntyre in Glasgow, assistant boss Gerry McCabe dealt with media duties and he admitted greater dialogue between officials and managers could nip a lot of potential problems in the bud.
He said: ”The referees can’t really say anything and can’t comment. If that wasn’t the case, then maybe the referee could have spoken to Jim after the match, before talking to the press, and then at least the situation might have been explained.
”But you don’t hear anything and you’re aggrieved at a penalty being awarded against you. Sone Aluko has been punished but that doesn’t do anything for us we are the victims.
”I think to try to punish Jim for saying the referee got his decision wrong is not right. The authorities should let the referees come out and give an explanation. Instead, it’s this wall of silence.
”At the end of the day, we are sitting with no points because of a decision and we don’t know why he’s given it.”
Earlier this week, Pars chairman John Yorkston admitted that McIntyre may have some money to spend on bringing new players to the club in next month’s transfer window.
And McCabe revealed the management team have already started zeroing in on potential targets.
He added: ”Hopefully when the situation arises, we’re in a position where we can try to bring the players we are targeting in. We know what the finances are like but Jim has had a meeting with the board and he’s hopeful they will back him up. I think we need two or three players to freshen the squad.”
Meanwhile, Dunfermline are still waiting to discover the full extent of the shoulder injury suffered by goalie Paul Gallacher against Hearts last Saturday. The player needs to regain more movement in the joint before he can receive a scan.