Former Celtic player and Sky Sports commentator Davie Provan has written Jozo Simunovic was ‘lucky’ not to face a similar charge to Flanagan for his elbow on Jermain Defoe.
TV pictures show Jozo with his arm out but there was no malice as Defo caught his arm and as Defoe does, goes down immediately.
In contrast to Flanagan who looked over his shoulder, was static and then pulled the trigger on the elbow when he thought the referee’s eyes were elsewhere – they may as well have been because Kevin Clancy only gave a yellow.
Davie Provan did say the SFA had bottled it by not handing the Ibrox player a ban for his exploits and hammers Gers for backing another player with indiscipline who could have cost them dearly.
“THE SFA bottled it when upholding Jon Flanagan’s appeal for smashing Scott Brown last Sunday.” Provan told SunSport.
“In a season where idiotic indiscipline cost Rangers any chance of the title, Gers should also have hammered Flanagan for putting the Old Firm result in jeopardy.
“Sure, Jozo Simunovic was lucky to avoid a similar charge but that doesn’t excuse Flanagan’s madness.
“Steven Gerrard has had his throat cut by players’ stupidity this season.”
Flanagan’s suspension was thrown out by the SFA as it became the second time this season an Ibrox player had got away with lashing out at a Celtic player at Ibrox. Alfredo Morelos was not sent off or disciplined retroactively for THREE separate instances during the December tie.
