Jim Jefferies hit with charge of excessive misconduct

Hearts manager Jim Jefferies could be in for a hefty punishment from the Scottish Football Association after being charged with excessive misconduct during his team's 3-0 defeat at Celtic Park.

Jefferies was sent to the stand after complaining that Daryl Murphy was offside in the build-up to Celtic's opening goal. He will receive an automatic two-match touchline ban after referee Willie Collum reported him for offensive, insulting and abusive language.

However, Collum is understood to have accused Jefferies of "excessive misconduct" in his match report, which arrived at the SFA offices yesterday. That could see him hit with further punishment on top of the statutory two-match suspension.

Jefferies has until Monday to appeal against his automatic ban, which will otherwise see him sit in the stand for home SPL matches against Motherwell and Rangers.

His additional charge is likely to be considered by the SFA's disciplinary committee on 19 October. The punishment could be an additional touchline ban or a fine.

Jefferies declared he would be reporting Collum to the SPL after the match, accusing the referee of speaking to him "like a two-year-old kid" after claiming he was owed an apology over the goal. But Jefferies has since apologised to assistant referee Francis Andrews after accepting Murphy was onside before setting up James Forrest for the opener, despite his insistence to the contrary in the post-match press conference.

Aberdeen manager Mark McGhee will also receive a two-match touchline ban after being sent to the stand during his team's 3-1 defeat by Dundee United. McGhee will not face a further charge as his offence was a simple case of kicking the ball away.