Rangers manager Derek McInnes has had his immediate touchline ban reduced following a Scottish FA appellate tribunal decision. The 55-year-old will now serve a two-match suspension, down from the original three, and will return for the home game against St Mirren on 9 September.
According to a report from roundtable.io, the tribunal revised the punishment handed down for comments McInnes made last season while managing Hearts. He was critical of a match-deciding penalty awarded to Celtic, describing the decision as "actually quite disgusting" and saying it felt like "us against everybody." The penalty followed a VAR review for a Sam Nicholson handball and was converted by Kelechi Iheanacho.
What was the original ban?
McInnes was initially suspended for four matches in total, with three of those taking immediate effect and one suspended until the end of the 2026/27 campaign. The club argued that his comments were aimed at a specific match-defining decision and not at the competence or integrity of the officials. Rangers also pointed out that the Scottish FA's own Key Match Incident Panel had found that VAR should not have intervened in the incident.
The appellate tribunal agreed to a new arrangement. This consists of two immediate matches and two suspended matches. The suspended portion will only activate if McInnes breaches Disciplinary Rule 72 again before the current season concludes.
Which games will McInnes miss?
The revised ban means McInnes will be absent from the technical area for two important Premiership fixtures this week. He will not be on the touchline for the midweek trip to face Falkirk on Wednesday. He will also miss the following Saturday's match against Motherwell.
His return is scheduled for the encounter with St Mirren at Ibrox on 9 September. This timing is significant as it ensures his availability for upcoming fixtures against Celtic later in the season. The team's next match after the ban period is a home game against Dundee on 30 December, a fixture you can find on our fixtures page.
What is Rangers' current situation?
The news comes as Rangers seek to build momentum after a challenging start to the campaign. The club currently sits seventh in the Scottish Premiership table with four points from three matches, recording one win, one draw, and one loss. Their recent form reads as a win, a loss, and a draw.
They are five points behind arch-rivals and league leaders Celtic. The goal difference stands at zero, with three scored and three conceded. This follows their exit from European competition and their first league win of the season, a 1-0 victory at Aberdeen secured by a Lawrence Shankland penalty in the 69th minute. Fans can track the evolving league picture on our standings section.
How does the reduced ban help Rangers?
The reduction from three to two immediate games is a clear boost for the club's management structure. It limits the period where McInnes must relay instructions from the stands. Assistant coaches will take on heightened roles during the matches against Falkirk and Motherwell, two games where Rangers will be aiming for maximum points to climb the table.
The suspended portion of the ban acts as a clear deterrent for the remainder of the season. Any further breach of the rules regarding comments on officiating would trigger the additional two-match suspension. For now, the focus shifts to the pitch, where the squad will look to improve on their early-season statistics, detailed on our stats hub. Derek McInnes will be back in the dugout when Rangers host St Mirren on 9 September.
