Manager Ask To Explain His Comments

Saint Mirren manager Gus MacPherson has been asked to explain his comments about match officials after their Scottish Cup 3rd round tie against Dundee United.

Dundee United won the match 3-2, after a last gasp winner from David Robertson in injury time, but the Saints boss was more upset by comments from assistant referee James Bee.

During the 1st half, it appeared that United keeper Derek Stillie had handled the ball outside his area, after his momentum carried him over the line.

However, Stillie had let go of the ball when he realised he was about to go outside the penalty box, but still managed to land ontop of it outside the area, though somehow without it coming into contact with his hands.

Stillie then passed the ball back into the penalty box, before picking it up and kicking it downfield - which could have resulted in an indirect freekick to Saint Mirren under the pass-back rule.

Although, when Gus McPherson challenged the match referee, he claims he received an "arrogant" response from assistant referee James Bee.

The SFA have now sent a letter to McPherson asking him to explain his comments at their next meeting on the 27th of February.

"I've been asked to clarify the remarks, and I've sent a response saying I stand by them," admitted MacPherson.

"I said at the time, I felt the remarks were justified. It's a decision for the SFA's general purposes committee, whether they decide to take it a stage further, but they were also asking if the quotes attributed to myself were accurate."

"The quotes that were highlighted in the luminous pen that was highlighting them were accurate, but as I say, I stand by them."

After the Dundee United clash, MacPherson had said - "I made a comment to the referee and he [James Bee] came back with an arrogant remark. His arrogance beggars belief."

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