No Right Of Appeal For Paul

Dundee United were informed today by the SFA that midfielder Paul Paton has no right of appeal. The player has no right either to be told the reasons for the decision reached by the Judicial Panel on Thursday (18^th December) which sees him immediately suspended for two games. The Club believed that under Rule 14.8.3 of the Judicial Panel Protocol “the tribunal issued a Determination which it could not properly have issued on the facts of the case.” Paton was alleged to have spat at Johnny Hayes during the game against Aberdeen at Tannadice on Saturday – a claim that both Paton and Hayes deny ever occurred and was not witnessed by anyone else. However under Judicial Panel Protocol Rules 13.8.1 and 13.8.2 covering Fast Track Determinations, the Dundee United player has no right of appeal. And under Rules 13.11.1 and 13.11.2 the player has no right to be told the reasons for the decision taken by the Panel. A Dundee United spokesperson said: “We do feel aggrieved on the basis that firstly we do not believe the player is guilty, secondly the decision cannot be appealed and third the player and club are not allowed the see the basis on which the Panel made this judgement. Rules that block the ability of players, clubs and supporters to understand such decisions seem at odds with the transparency and openness required in the modern day game. We remain completely supportive of Paul but accept that the matter is now closed. Our focus is now firmly on Sunday’s game against Celtic.”