Richard Foster footballer: BBC pundit given six-match ban for 'lies' rant live on air about Rangers’ goal against Saints

Foster was on radio punditry for the BBC during Rangers' Premier Sports Cup win over St Johnstone, when he made his outburst over the explanation of Cyriel Dessers' goal at Hampden. The Rangers edged past the Saints in the Scottish League Cup but the opposition camp believed referee Matthew MacDermid had signalled for their free-kick before Dessers found the back of the net.

Foster, who was working as a BBC pundit when an explanation from the Scottish FA was released, responded: “Lies! It’s a lie. Unless he puts the whistle to his mouth for no reason.” He later apologised for his rant but his case was heard by the SFA on Thursday (12 September).

And Foster, currently head of coaching at Motherwell, won't be allowed in the dugout for the next 4 games after being found to have breached Rule 77, with two more suspended. An SFA disciplinary update reads: "Admitted. Six match suspension applied as follows: Four matches immediate, and two matches suspended until the end of Season 2024/25, suspended sanction applicable only should Richard Foster further breach Disciplinary Rule 77 within this period."

Foster later said: "I don't think the issue is my take on the incident, my issue is what I said, which I shouldn't have implied that there was anything going on with the SFA statement. At the time I was probably more a football fan than a pundit and I used the wrong choice of words and got caught up in the excitement of what was happening.

“But the goal should stand, the decision itself to award the foul would have been wrong anyway and I think they got the right decision which is the most important thing. I wish I hadn't said it but I did."