Lennon sees red at Tynecastle

Celtic manager Neil Lennon has been handed a six-match touchline ban by the Scottish Football Association for an excessive misconduct charge.

The ban begins on 18 January, meaning the Celtic boss will be absent from the dugout when his side visit Rangers in the Scottish Cup in early February.

"We are very surprised and extremely disappointed," said Celtic, who will appeal the new sanctions.

"We believe the punishment is excessive and unprecedented for a first offence."

Lennon was given the ban for being sent to the stand by referee Craig Thomson during Celtic's 2-0 defeat by Hearts in November.

As well as challenging the severity of the punishment imposed, our appeal will also focus on issues of procedural fairness and the manner in which such hearings are conducted Celtic FC statement

That dismissal - following an altercation with fourth official Steven McLean - incurred an automatic two-match ban, which Lennon was appealing at Hampden on Tuesday.

Celtic's statement added: "We have maintained for some time that a range of the SFA's processes and structures needed to be reviewed and updated.

"This view was supported recently by Henry McLeish in his review of the SFA.

"Tuesday's events only underline and reinforce our opinion.

"Without question Celtic will be supporting its manager Neil Lennon in his appeal.

"As well as challenging the severity of the punishment imposed, our appeal will also focus on issues of procedural fairness and the manner in which such hearings are conducted."

The first match of the ban will be the Scottish Premier League visit of Aberdeen on 22 January.

It will take in two more games against the Dons, meetings with Hearts and Dundee United, and the Scottish Cup fifth-round trip to Ibrox.

MY SPORT: DEBATE What do you think of Lennon's punishment?

However, Lennon's first game back in the dugout will be the Old Firm league clash with Rangers at Celtic Park on 20 February.

Celtic assistant Johan Mjallby believes Lennon will learn to control his aggression in future, and become a calmer figure in the dugout, but admitted that his aggressive side is an integral part of his character.

"I'm quite sure Neil, from now on, will be a bit calmer," he said.

"He needs that aggression as well because obviously he's the main man but we all know he's probably at his best when he's really up for a game, and is a bit aggressive," added the Swede.

"I tried to calm him down when I played with him.

"There's a few of us sitting behind him trying to calm him down now and again but we have to look at ourselves in the mirror because maybe we are a bit too agitated as well."

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