Forres Mechanics manager Steven MacDonald has questioned changes to suspension rules which could result in the Can-Cans Aidan Cruickshank being unable to feature in the Scottish Cup until 2027.
This season the Scottish FA have altered suspension protocol for the red card offences which result in a two-match ban.
Now, when players are dismissed for serious foul play, violent conduct or spitting at a person, their suspension has to be served in the competition in which they committed the offence.
Previously for these transgressions, a player missed their club’s next match – whatever the competition – and were also unavailable for the next game in the tournament they were sent off in.
Red card offences which result in a one-match ban – denying an obvious goal scoring opportunity, using offensive, insulting or abusive language and/or gestures and receiving two yellow cards – were all previously competition specific and remain this way.
Concerns over Cruickshank ban
With the change to suspension protocol, the 18-year-old’s ban could take two years to serve.
Mosset Park manager MacDonald: “My concern is that a two-game suspension is now cup specific – if we were to go out in the first round of the Scottish Cup in the next two seasons, Aidan won’t play in the Scottish Cup again until 2027.
“He’s an 18-year-old boy and I’m not saying that a red card offence shouldn’t be punished, but if he missed a game the week after and then maybe punish him for one more Scottish Cup game, like it was before, then I could understand it.
“But I don’t really think we needed to change.
“I think it would be better, if there’s a suspension to serve, that he serves two games now, rather than waiting a whole year or possibly two years to punish Aidan in the national competition, which is one of the biggest games of the season for players.
“It seems unjust to me that Aidan or any other player might not be able to play in the competition again until 2027.
“I just think its unfair that you can get sent off and potentially miss out on playing in the Scottish Cup for two years.”
Governing body follows Uefa
An SFA spokesman declined to comment on the matter, but the Press and Journal understands the change was made to follow the same approach as Uefa – where suspensions incurred in European competition do not apply domestically.
The governing body believes one upside of the change is players won’t miss important cup ties if they have been sent off in league fixtures.
MacDonald added: “You could even have a caveat to that where an instant suspension in the Highland League wouldn’t apply to missing a cup final, if it was the next game for example.
“I think we need to realise the Highland League is a bit different to the Champions League.”
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