Kelvin Wilson is hoping to be let off the hook when he appears at Hampden on Thursday to answer the charge of violent conduct following Celtic's game against Dundee at Dens Park last week.
The Hoops defender, 27, was issued with a notice of complaint by the Scottish Football Association's compliance officer, Vincent Lunny, for allegedly using an elbow on John Baird, who afterwards said: "It was an elbow, but I have to stress I think it was accidental."
The former Nottingham Forest player rejected the offer of a two-game ban and hopes Baird's testimony will be taken into consideration when he makes a personal appearance in front of the disciplinary panel at the national stadium.
After Celtic's 1-0 Clydesdale Bank Premier League win over Motherwell at Parkhead, where Gary Hooper scored a 79th minute winner, Wilson said: "It wasn't an elbow so I don't know where the violent conduct has come from. To be fair the boy said he was grabbing my shirt and I was just trying to get away, which I was and unfortunately I caught him.
"If you go into a court of law and someone gives a statement like that then it is taken into consideration so I hope that is the case. But we will see. If it goes against me I will just have to get on with it but hopefully the people will see sense and it will get resolved."
The Englishman was given a reprieve by Fraser Forster in a hard-fought win over Well. The Celtic keeper made a brilliant save from Tom Hateley's penalty, awarded for Wilson's challenge on Jamie Murphy, just before Hooper converted a Georgios Samaras cross. Wilson gave the England squad member a ribbing but admitted he was relieved to see him make the save.
"All keepers are weird and so he is a bit strange, he's a big kid at heart," he said. "He has got a thing about throwing something then hiding. If something hits you on the back of the head, you know it's him. But it was a relief and when Hooper scored it made it a perfect ending.
"It was a little bit of tiredness, it was a stonewall penalty but Fraser made a great save I just said well done to him afterwards and he just shook his head as if to say 'that's another one'. He is probably the best keeper I have played in front of.
"I don't know Joe Hart personally but watching him on television he is one of the best keepers in the world, if not the best, and so Fraser is up there as a brilliant number two. He is that good that you would back him against anyone. He is only 24 and that is young for a keeper so he has a long career ahead of him."
Murphy was made Motherwell captain as he played his last game for the club before signing for Sheffield United for a six-figure fee and afterwards said: "I was welling up a little bit, seeing the fans clapping me off and all the boys clapping behind me. It was something I will always remember. I have been at Motherwell 11 years. I have grown up as a player and a person."
Source: PA
