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I hope this is the way forward in cheating tbh I don't care if a Well player or another teams player it was embarrassing to see Slattery go down like that for nothing. However another nail in the coffin for VAR should have been dealt with on the night and not weeks later.

Exactly this.

I honestly don't recall the assistant getting involved in the incident during the game, but if he told the ref it was a red card, that's just another official whose competence has to be questioned, along with the VAR team. Slattery was an idiot, and he's now been punished, but we all know there will be ss much consistency applied to the issue of simulation as there is to every other issue in Scottish football.

From an old press story. Don't know if England ever followed the Scottish example. As usual, the application of the rule is what causes the anger up here. I see England did have retrospective action in place for violent conduct at that time, but not for diving. Anyways, it's not a new thing. The Football Association has confirmed it is talking to the Scottish Football Association about the pros and cons of taking retrospective action against players who dive. Introduced in 2011, the SFA's rule 201 gives a disciplinary panel the power to impose two-game bans for acts of simulation missed by the match officials or rescind yellow cards for players who were incorrectly adjudged to have dived. Hearts winger Jamie Walker has experienced both verdicts this season, having served a two-game ban for a dive to gain a penalty against Celtic in August and then been retrospectively cleared of simulation during a game against Rangers in December. Speaking to Press Association Sport, an FA spokesman said: "The issue of simulation is under review and we have a continuing dialogue with other associations about rules and regulations. "We are interested in going to see the SFA to talk about how their rule is working but it is part of that wider conversation." The spokesman added that any change to the rules in England would need support from across the game -- managers, players, referees and so on - and would be done via the Football Regulatory Authority. The general view in Scotland is rule 201 has had a positive impact, although there has been some criticism of the apparent contradiction between a player getting a yellow card for an offence seen by a referee but a red card for the same offence if the referee missed it. In the past, world football's governing body FIFA has stuck to the principle that matches should be refereed on the pitch, in real time, with any mistakes made by the officials simply being part of the game. FIFA's stance, however, is starting to change as it has already approved goal-line technology, is trialling video assistant referees and has not complained about the SFA's simulation rules or the FA's own retrospective punishments for violent conduct. That last point is significant as the four British FAs have permanent seats on the International Football Association Board, the body that decides on fundamental changes to the game's laws, which suggests FIFA may view these local rules as pilots before wider implementation. Simulation, once one of the great taboos of British football, is back on the agenda after Robert Snodgrass dived to earn a penalty for Hull City against Crystal Palace last month. The Scot scored from the spot but later admitted he was not touched by Palace defender Scott Dann, saying he instinctively took evasive action because of his recent injury problems.

Not that long ago, Slattery got sent off (two yellows), holding off Cantwell versus Rangers, and he went down holding his beek, feigning injury. Nothing was made of that other than Celtic supporting former refs in the tabloids saying Cantwell cheated. Someone mentioned they have opened up a can of worms; experience says the next time, they won't address it consistently. I'm delighted with the football we have been playing this season, it's honestly been some wonderful stuff, and other teams have been boasting some great crowds, the best in years, but these dickheads are killing all enjoyment.

The referee made the decision after advice from his assistant. Therefore they were both conned...by Slattery.... into issuing a red card. VAR did not intervene. Wrongly, so I agree questions need to be asked on that score. Had Slattery been found out there and then a yellow would have been sufficient given the St Mirren player would not have been sent off. But because of the actual outcome on the night a red card for Slattery is correct and in line with previous examples......pre VAR mostly I think. Trial by Sportscene springs to mind. At the end of the day, no matter who we like to point fingers at, Slattery cheated. As for the time taken to issue his ban, MFC were told within days that Slattery had been cited and if found at fault would be punished. It's not true to say that only some four weeks later the Authorities decided to act. It should have been resolved much quicker though.

A ridiculous decision, which opens up a mega sized can of worms. Others have made good points. So many angles to this. * How far back will the SFA go to look at retrospective action? 1 month perhaps 2 months or even 3? What is the benchmark? * Had Slattery rightly been disciplined at the time it would have been a yellow card. Why not a yellow card now? Thwe fact that he wasn't yellow carded was down to the referee. * Is this now a benchmark? Will we see a spate of retrospective punishments or is a 4 match ban now the norm for simulation? * A related issue - what about players harassing the ref to have an opponent red carded? We see plenty of that. I just hope MFC holds them to account.

He didn't con the ref, he conned VAR. Now they've used VAR to ban him.

Going after a Motherwell player is an easy win for the SFA, compared to tackling the scumbag OF fans.

How many games are the VAR officials banned for?

No surprise. Slattery cheated and conned the referee into sending an opponent off. And if roles had been reversed we would having been screaming for justice. There are precedents of players being banned retrospectively for conning referees into issuing red cards or awarding penalties. One I can recall was at Tynecastle and another at Ross County. Of course that was before the introduction of VAR. As far as Slattery is concerned, the frustration is that if VAR had done its job he would have been booked there and then and nobody would have complained. As others have said though, let's see consistency going forward. Sadly we all know that the teams involved will be a deciding factor.

Seems a bit harsh but as others have said, I have zero issues as long as this is now the benchmark. It was really poor what he did so he does deserve punishment.

Also, great how they can make this decision but have said and done nothing about the rioting and nonsense by the Old Firm eejits after their game at Ibrox recently.

I don’t have a problem with this as long as it’s consistent…… but every man and their dug knows it won’t be consistent. glad the club seem to be pointing this out and we should be calling for heads if it’s not applied.

It’s the SFA doing what they want, when they want, with impunity. I can’t help thinking JBA has bruised their delicate wee egos recently and that this is their response. Pathetic, useless clowns.

If the ref had decided on the day that it was simulation - just like diving in the box - the result would have been a yellow. The 4-match suspension is punishment for making the ref and VAR officials look a bunch of twats, not for the offence itself.

There won’t be any consistency from the SFA; there never has been.

Two of them suspended, but does seem harsh even if he was being an eejit. Should stop him doing it again, at least

The authorities have opened a can of worms for themselves with this decision. It will be interesting to see how many others are treated in the same way. There needs to be consistency for everyone.

That’s the SFA re-re-refereeing the incident and making a rod for their own backs going forward. Absolute clowns. https://www.motherwellfc.co.uk/2026/03/26/callum-slattery-retrospective-action/

4 match suspension for his “dive” Wild

I think that's a bit harsh on Sparrow at RB - he's been pretty solid and makes some really good last ditch tackles. 2 mistakes v Hibs and Celtic have just put a little blot on his report card of late (And to add I know it's not just yourself that has said it)

You mean get a var team that overturn a good goal and don't punish a push on goalie...doesn't matter how well we play if officials are poor

We currently have two right backs and two left backs. SODs is a right back who is a more than adequate emergency centre half and JK who can do a reasonable job covering on the left. Longelo we know is excellent on his day, whereas Wilson may not be up to the task and is getting very little chance to develop at Raith. I'd try to move Wilson on find a better backup option for that position. Sparrow is a midfielder who can cover at right back, but he's not great there, and he's even worse at left back. McGhee is a midfielder that can do a job at centre half and I like him, so I hope he sticks around for a while.