HAMILTON, Bermuda (CMC) – The Bermuda Football Association’s (BFA) disciplinary committee have slapped a three-year ban on Southampton Rangers’ coach Keith Jennings for an attack on Jamaican referee Stephen Allen after a recent Premier Division match. The committee found the former Bermuda midfielder guilty of committing multiple offences, including assaulting and threatening Allen, a 31-year-old policeman, and hurling foul and abusive language at match officials.
Rangers lost the February 26 match 2-1 at their home ground, Southampton Oval, after Allen awarded visitors Dandy Town a late penalty, which proved to be the match-winner.
Rangers were also fined US$500 at Tuesday night’s BFA meeting for failing to control their players and fans.
Club president Randy Raynor declined to comment. Jennings was also unavailable for comment.
After the match ended Jennings blasted the referee with the ball and then threatened to assault him near the officials’ dressing room. He also hurled foul and abusive language at Allen’s colleagues.
Jennings’ outburst was condemned by Bermuda Referees Association (BRA) which threatened to boycott matches at Southampton Oval unless security was beefed up.
However, following a series of emergency meetings involving all stakeholders BRA had a change of heart after the club agreed to meet the association’s demands.
Earlier this week relegation-threatened Rangers suspended Jennings, who was nearing the end of a 12-month contract, and replaced him with Kwame Tucker for the remainder of the season.
One club member, who did not want to be named, described Jennings’ actions as a “PR nightmare for us”.