Calum Butcher has accepted a Scottish FA charge of serious foul play; the midfielder was booked for his challenge on David Turnbull and will miss Dundee United's next three games against Livingston, Rangers and Hibernian
Wednesday 8 December 2021 18:37, UK
Dundee United's Calum Butcher has been banned for three matches after accepting a charge of serious foul play following his challenge on Celtic's David Turnbull.
The 30-year-old midfielder was booked by referee Don Robertson at the time following the second-half incident.
That decision was reviewed by the Scottish FA and, with three former referees unanimous that a red card offence had been missed, the compliance officer took action.
Butcher was handed a notice of complaint but has opted to not contest the charge and faces another spell on the sidelines.
Having returned from a two-match suspension in the defeat to Celtic, he's been handed another two-game ban, and will miss a further match having gone over the disciplinary threshold.
He'll miss Sunday's game against Livingston, the trip to Ibrox to face Rangers, plus a Boxing Day clash against Hibernian at Tannadice.
The challenge was slammed by pundits, with Kris Boyd stating on Sky Sports that Turnbull was lucky not to be seriously injured and Stephen Warnock claiming on Sky Sports News the Celtic player could have suffered a broken leg.
Speaking on Sky Sports News, former Premier League referee Dermot Gallagher said:
"I don't think the referee has got the view that we've got, because if he's got that, he would certainly red-card.
"It's high, it's straight-legged, studs point of contact."
