Motherwell boss Mark McGhee must sit out St Johnstone game after abandonment

Motherwell boss Mark McGhee faces another game in the stand after his side's clash with Aberdeen was abandoned.

The Fir Park boss was due to complete a two-match touchline ban at Pittodrie on Tuesday night.

However, the Ladbrokes Premiership fixture was halted twice inside the opening 10 minutes after the floodlights failed, leaving referee Alan Muir with no choice but to bring an early halt to the action.

The Scottish Football Association confirmed to Press Association Sport that the shelved fixture will not count towards McGhee's punishment, meaning the Well manager will again be barred from taking his place in the dug-out when his side travel to St Johnstone on Saturday.

According to rule 11.6.7 of the SFA's judicial panel protocol, "a match which is abandoned or declared void does not count towards a completed match in terms the serving of any suspension, automatic or otherwise''.

Both clubs have been informed the bookings dished out to Dons defender Andy Considine and Motherwell centre-back Stephen McManus will not be counted.

The rule book states: "Any cautions reported in a match that is abandoned or declared void shall not apply except where the match is abandoned or declared void due to player misconduct."

McGhee was handed an immediate touchline ban following a post-match dispute at Dens Park after Motherwell's 2-0 defeat by Dundee on November 5.

The Scotland assistant manager was given a further one-match suspended ban by the SFA after admitting using "offensive, abusing, and/or insulting language'' towards referee John Beaton and a steward.

Two further charges of "adopting an aggressive attitude" were dropped, according to the club.

The floodlights stopped working after back-up generators failed to cover for a transformer which broke earlier this month. Aberdeen expect a new one to arrive this week and be operational next week ahead of their next home game against Hamilton on December 27.

The club have submitted plans for a new stadium outside the city and chief executive Duncan Fraser admits Pittodrie is showing its age.

Fraser told RedTV: "These systems we have at Pittodrie are always tested but it's an ageing stadium and these are the challenges we have. The reality we have is that any equipment we buy or repairs we make is a sunk cost.

"But as much as it's frustrating for people at the club, the most frustrating element is for the supporters who turned up, and for Motherwell. We know what it's like to travel such distances in winter. We will make sure when they come back up that they are not out of pocket."