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    Football - Lomas planning talks with SFA

    St Johnstone manager Steve Lomas hopes talks with Scottish Football Association compliance officer Vincent Lunny will help him avoid more punishment as he faces up to the prospect of a 16-match suspension.

    Lomas was last week hit with a six-match touchline ban after being sent to the stand at Celtic Park last month, which also sparked a further two-match punishment suspended from earlier in the season. He was issued with another SFA notice of complaint on Wednesday after being sent to the stand during his team's 1-0 defeat by Hibernian last week.

    Lomas has been accused of misconduct by "failing to behave in a responsible manner as an occupant of the technical area by kicking a water bottle carrier causing water bottles to land in the stand". Lomas said: "I'm going to have a meeting with Vince Lunny on Monday, with a few managers. It will help to explain the process more than anything."

    He has until next Wednesday to respond with a hearing date pencilled in for December 20. The Saints manager will begin his exile from the dugout at St Mirren Park on Saturday after chairman Steven Brown decided against an appeal, before going to Hampden on Monday in a bid to avoid future penalties.

    The length of the punishment, which was imposed by a three-member judicial panel, shocked many within the game and caused confusion about the rules. Partick Thistle manager Jackie McNamara was on Thursday handed a two-match ban for breaching the same rule as Lomas did at Celtic Park.

    And Lomas added: "That's the confusing thing. Some managers are being done for foul and abusive language and being let off, whereas some like myself are getting six games. Hopefully Vince will be able to clarify a few things. I would have thought all the SPL managers will be invited."

    Lomas is clearly frustrated that he faces even more time away from the technical area despite only one of his misdemeanours involving a match official, and plans to present his latest defence at Hampden.

    "It's pretty simple, I kicked a water box," he said. "I actually risked myself some damage. And the water went up in the air. It was purely out of frustration that we missed the penalty and Nigel wasn't the designated penalty-taker.

    "It was nothing against any referee, I can't state that categorically enough. With Richie Brittain I told the truth and backed the referee, saying I felt it made the referee's job harder. I didn't have a go at the referee there.

    "Yes, I had a go at Celtic Park. I apologised for what I said. With those three situations that I've been sanctioned for, to be looking at potentially a 16-match ban, it's very hard for me to understand."

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