Hamilton striker Leon Knight insists he pushed but did not punch Suso Santana.
Striker protests innocence following Hearts brawl
Hamilton striker Leon Knight insists he pushed but did not punch Suso Santana in the incident believed to have started the tunnel brawl after their win over Hearts.
Knight and Suso were both sent off for violent conduct following the Scottish Premier League game at New Douglas Park, while Hamilton midfielder Ian Black and masseur Alan Robson were also shown post-match reds.
Knight, who has a third dan black belt in karate, claims Suso "clumped" him around the head as he entered the tunnel and admits he pushed the Hearts winger in retaliation.
The 5ft 5in forward, though, denies lashing out at Christian Nade, telling the
Scottish Sun: "It would be like an ant attacking a bear.
"Have you seen him? It would be like suicide!"
Ugly scenes
Knight, an unused substitute in Sunday's SPL game, admits he delayed returning a throw-in to Hearts shortly before the final whistle of a game in which they were 2-1 down and believes that may be what angered Suso.
However, he claims he was in the changing room by the time the ugly scenes in the tunnel began.
"I came back out and as I did I saw something like 17 men going crazy," he said.
"What I saw was, well, a bunch of handbags. The only blow that landed was Suso's slap on the back of my head.
"If I'd wanted to really do something to him it would have been done.
Handbags
"It wouldn't have just been handbags or pushing, let me tell you.
"You're told to only use karate to defend yourself and at the moment he hit me, self-defence was on my mind."
Knight has had high-profile bust-ups in the past at Brighton and Swansea with managers Mark McGhee and Kenny Jackett, respectively, but the forward insists he was not to blame at the weekend.
"I know what some people might be thinking, but my conscience is clear.
"I couldn't believe I got a red card. I'm upset about that. I spoke to the manager not long after it and he told me not to worry. Everybody knows it wasn't my fault."
