John Hughes and Brian Rice handed SFA disciplinary charges for referee comments

Ross County boss John Hughes and Hamilton head coach Brian Rice have both been hit by Scottish Football Association disciplinary charges over comments made on referees.

Hughes has been cited in reference to Premiership games against St Mirren and Hibernian while Rice faces action over comments made after a Scottish Cup defeat to St Mirren on April 3.

Both have been accused of breaching the same two rules. One pertains to criticising match officials in a way which indicates bias or incompetence or “impinge on his character.” The other relates to not acting in the best interests of football and includes the use of “insulting” words.

Rice angrily hit out at Crawford Allan, head of referee operations at the SFA, with reference to penalty decisions, saying: “I’m angry as we are getting nothing. I’m fed up phoning Crawford Allan and getting shoved to the side because we are only Hamilton, that’s what’s happening. Am I paranoid?

“I would like Crawford to take us seriously. To give us a fair crack of the whip just like everybody else – because we are not getting a fair crack of the whip. I don’t care what anybody says.”

Days later Hughes backed up former Falkirk team-mate and coaching colleague Rice and referred to 1980s television show Beadle’s About when speaking about phoning Allan.

Hughes said: “When you phone up, what a phone call — you are waiting for Jeremy Beadle to jump out! I am serious, you are looking for Beadle to appear.

“You are on the phone asking: ‘Is this for real?’ I have never been patronised so much in all my life.”

Hughes also referred to penalty decisions in defeats against Hibernian and St Mirren.

He said: “With the penalty against Hibs, you are having a laugh. The penalty against St Mirren, with the boy Greg Aitken (referee), you are having a laugh. They were absolutely horrendous decisions.

“The one against Hibs was with John Beaton. We never get a penalty, but there have been plenty against us.”

The Staggies manager also questioned referees’ allegiances, saying: “I asked the question of a certain referee about his team. I was told we don’t ask our refs which team they support because half of them wouldn’t be able to referee Rangers and Celtic — that’s the reason why.”

Both managers face hearings on April 29. Hamilton stated that “the club and Brian will defend his case”.