Trial by telly?

THE back page headline in the Daily Record reads, ‘Trial by SPORTSCENE’, while The Scotish Sun goes for ‘Trial by Telly’ – twice.

While Hibernian’s Leigh Griffiths was captured by TV cameras gesturing towards the crowd on Saturday – and Manchester City’s Mario Balotelli was finding himself suspended, courtesy of TV footage that had him appearing to stamp on an opponent’s head, on Sunday – the unifying theme was actually being provided by Motherwell FC boss, Stuart McCall.

Several newspapers today have him promising an appeal should his striker, Michael Higdon, be punished by the football authorities for a defiant gesture following his goal on Saturday against Dundee United.

The gesture was the subject of discussion on BBC Scotland’s Sportscene programme on Sunday and had McCall being widely quoted, as saying: “Is there a need for a complance officer [at the Scottish Football Association] or is it whoever edits Sportscene? I don’t know.”

Higdon is expected to learn later today whether he is to be the subject of a complaint from the SFA.