Ref Makes Farce Of It With Yogi

Aug 24 2008 By Gordon Waddell

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BLUNDERING ref Iain Brines scored a humiliating own goal yesterday trying to report Falkirk boss John Hughes to the beaks - only to find he didn't know his own rulebook.

The controversial whistler hauled Hughes - who's already serving a six game touchline ban - in to his room at half-time in the clash with Celtic.

And he told him he was being reported for being in the dressing-room at the break.

But furious Bairns managing director George Craig took the ref's rulebook from his hand - and showed him the paragraph that stated clearly the boss was allowed in for a team talk!

Now MailSport understands a seething Yogi is considering his own action, believing the ref's costly error signals a vendetta agains him. Hughes had claimed he was unhappy with Brines taking a second Celtic game on the trot after replacing crocked Charlie Richmond in last week's draw with Dundee United.

And a Bairns source close to the boss said last night: "Why did Brines go to the bother of getting his rule book out if he wasn't simply looking for a way of 'getting' Yogi?

"It's outrageous. Yogi had a word with a linesman on the way into the dressing-room because he wasn't too happy with a clear handball at Celtic's first goal but it was nothing.

"If Brines knew the rule he wouldn't have made the mistake."