Dundee United’s Calum Butcher will discover on Thursday if he will be hit with a ban for his tackle on Celtic star David Turnbull.
Butcher has been issued with a fast track notice of complaint by SFA compliance officer Andrew Phillips.
He was charged under disciplinary rule 200 after his challenge on Turnbull during United’s 3-0 defeat to Celtic on Sunday.
The charge does not outline how many games Butcher could be banned for.
But it states he has committed ‘one or more of the following sending off offences’ during the Celtic game:
- Serious foul play…constituting a sending off offence where the act was ‘committed intentionally or fell significantly below the standard of conduct expected’
- Violent conduct
- Biting or spitting and someone
The Turnbull flashpoint came just nine minutes after Butcher had come on as substitute in the game.
Butcher was initially yellow carded by referee Don Robertson for the challenge. It was his fifth booking in seven games.
Neither Turnbull or Celtic boss Ange Postecoglou made an issue of the tackle in their post-match interviews.
But it was widely publicised on TV with replays showing the collision from multiple angles.
Pundits such as ex-Dundee boss Neil McCann called it a ‘leg-breaker’ and it was reviewed by an SFA panel.
Calum Butcher: A potential ban for Dundee United star
🗣️'This is as clear as it comes for me. This is a leg breaker'
Sportscene pundits Neil McCann and Chris Iwelumo assess Calum Butcher's challenge during Dundee United's 3-0 loss to Celtic⤵️ pic.twitter.com/3049S4Qobj
— BBC Sport Scotland (@BBCSportScot) December 6, 2021
The panel determined the tackle was worthy of citation by the compliance officer and Butcher will now discover in the next 48 hours if he is facing punishment.
Butcher has only just returned from a two game ban after being red carded for an off-the-ball incident with Aberdeen star Christian Ramirez.
If suspended, Butcher will definitely miss out on Saturday’s visit of Livingston.
But a lengthy ban could put him out for any or all of the upcoming clashes with Rangers, Hibernian, St Mirren and Dundee.
