Tommy Wright, the St Johnstone manager, last night stated that Richard Foster and Danny Swanson will be disciplined in the toughest possible way after the duo were suspended by the club following a brawl during their encounter with Hamilton Academical at New Douglas Park yesterday.
The club confirmed that a “full and thorough” investigation into the matter will be launched after Foster and Swanson were embroiled in a furious altercation on the pitch at half time.
Both St Johnstone players were sent off while Hamilton coach, Guilaume Beuzelin, was sent to the stands after tempers flared around the mouth of the tunnel. Hamilton eventually went on to win the match against the nine men with an injury-time winner from Alex D’Acol.
Before the game, there was a disturbance outside the ground among rival sets of supporters and St Johnstone acted quickly to clarify misleading reports that the players had been interviewed by the police.
A club statement said: “Contrary to some reports, no player or member of staff has been spoken to or interviewed by Police Scotland.”
After a torrid afternoon, Wright said: “Until I see it, I can’t really comment but I have told the two players involved, in front of the rest, that the club will investigate it.
“I’ve heard what is alleged to have happened but until I investigate and see it with my own eyes, I can’t say any more. But they have been told that, if what happened is what is alleged to have happened, I will and the club will, come down on them as hard as we possibly can, legally. And we will. This will be dealt with in the strongest possibly we that we can.
“They [Foster and Swanson] have shaken hands. They have been really foolish and they are probably embarrassed. But to be sent off in that manner? You know sometimes it isn’t always about you, it’s about the bigger picture. Whether they had a grievance about what was happening on the pitch, that should have waited until the dressing-room.”
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