Motherwell Fine Upheld as Elliot Watt Suspension Is Reduced

Motherwell have failed in their attempt to reduce a £5,000 fine imposed over the club’s reaction to a late penalty awarded to Celtic in May. BBC Sport reports that a Scottish Football Association appeal panel upheld the sanction, while a separate appeal by former Motherwell midfielder Elliot Watt resulted in a shorter immediate suspension.

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The club was punished over a social-media post published after referee John Beaton awarded Celtic a penalty following a VAR review. The decision concerned a handball against Sam Nicholson at Fir Park. Motherwell’s post included a video montage of the incident and language saying that the football world was mocking the Scottish game, prompting disciplinary action from the SFA.

The penalty came at the end of Motherwell’s 3-2 defeat. Kelechi Iheanacho converted the spot kick with the final kick of the match, completing the scoring after Beaton had reviewed the incident on the pitch-side monitor. Motherwell challenged the financial penalty, but the appeal panel declined to reduce the £5,000 amount.

Watt, who has since joined Turkish club Samsunspor, had initially received a four-match suspension after posting on X that it was the worst VAR decision in history. His appeal brought that immediate punishment down to two matches. The remaining two games are suspended until the end of next season, meaning they are not part of the immediate ban.

According to BBC Sport, both Motherwell and Watt were charged under rules covering criticism of match officials that implies bias or incompetence. The appeal outcomes therefore differed: the club’s financial sanction remains unchanged, while the structure of Watt’s four-game penalty was altered so that only half must be served immediately.

The same penalty incident also led to disciplinary proceedings involving Derek McInnes. BBC Sport reports that McInnes, then the Hearts manager, described the decision as disgusting in a television interview and said his team was up against everybody. His original immediate three-match touchline ban was reduced last week to two matches. Together, the rulings leave Motherwell’s fine intact, reduce Watt’s immediate playing ban and confirm the reduced touchline sanction for McInnes.