"I don't want to disappoint anybody, but these things take time [signing a replace for Alex Cropley].

"I am not at all certain now that I will be able to sign a new player before Thursday’s midnight UEFA Cup Quarter Final deadline.

“I am not allowed to comment on the referee [Jim Bent’s handling of the game.

“But we shall be making an official complaint through the appropriate channels.

“It was a late tackle. It was over zealous.

“But there was no way the tBrown could have done that on purpose.”

Ron Saunders.


“As soon as I was tackled I knew what had happened [broken tibula and fibula in the left leg] because I heard the cracks.

“The tackles was late and a bit high.

“But he didn’t go over the top of the ball.

“I thought the referee was right to book him. But that was enough.

“I have played with Ally Brown since we were 14 year olds in Scottish Junior Football and he is not an over the top merchant.

“I nipped in to beat him to the ball. But he carried through with his tackle.

“I had all my weight on my left leg when he connected.

“I felt I had been playing quite well this season and there had been talk about Argentine [World Cup].

“But I must forget about that now and concentrate on my recovery.

“I am not bitter about it and I have no hard feelings.

“You have to be prepared to accept knocks in this game.”

Alex Cropley.


“It was an accident. I was the cause of the injury and I was as sick as anyone about it.

“But anybody who knows me must also know that I have never gone over the top intentionally in my life.

Ally Brown.



“I suppose on reflection, I might have been stricter at the start. But it is easy to say that after the event.

“I could see no intent on his [Ally Brown’s] part and I checked this with my linesman.

“Cropley jumped over Brown to win the ball, Brown followed through catching Cropley at the back of the leg.”

Referee Jim Bent.