SFA chief executive Stewart Regan has leapt to the defence of Rod Petrie just a few days after a section of the Rangers support called for the Hibs chairman to resign. Petrie had initially attributed the scenes on the Hampden pitch after the recent Scottish Cup final – when a number of Rangers staff and players were attacked by Hibs fans – to “over-exuberance” and did not fully condemn the events until several days later.

That stance enraged many Rangers supporters groups who, under the new Club 1872 umbrella body, called for Petrie to stand down from his role at the Easter Road club and also as vice-president of the SFA, describing his comments as “an absolute disgrace”.

Regan, though, was fulsome in his praise of SFA colleague Petrie. He said: “Rod has been a valued vice-president of the Scottish FA for a number of years. He’s worked tirelessly on Scottish football matters. I've got no issue with Rod Petrie as a vice-president."

Rangers had released a statement the day after the cup final criticising Hibs’ conduct and looking for an apology. Petrie, speaking as he left the SFA’s AGM at Glasgow City Chambers yesterday, would not publically offer one but said there had been “communication” between the clubs, before adding: "It was wrong of the supporters to come on the pitch and things that happened after that are inexcusable.”

The SFA have appointed Sheriff Principal Edward Bowen to lead an independent commission into how the pitch invasion after the final whistle at Hampden was allowed to happen. Bowen will look into the conduct of the police, the stewards, supporters from both sides, and the SFA, and report back on his findings by the end of July.

Regan added: “A number of people – PFA Scotland in particular – and one or two others felt that it was important that it was done independently. Hampden Park is a fully owned subsidiary of the Scottish FA, and we have a number of other stakeholders, including the police, who we’ve got no jurisdiction over. G4S [the stewarding company] we’ve got no jurisdiction over. So we discussed the matter with all our stakeholders and they all agreed that an independent commission was the best way forward.”

The SFA’s compliance officer Tony McGlennan will also work in tandem with the commission to see what football sanctions, if any, should be doled out come its conclusion. It is understood, however, that there is virtually no chance of Hibs being stripped of their place in the qualifying rounds of the Europa League as a punishment for their fans’ conduct at Hampden.