RULES LIMIT ELVIS BAN TO FOUR WEEKS

STEVEN PRESSLEY faces up to four weeks on the sidelines after being suspended by Hearts.

The SPL have dismissed reports the Scotland defender has been banned indefinitely after his row with club owner Vladimir Romanov.

Pressley was told to stay away from the club on Friday, December 1 and under the rules the latest he can return is Friday, December 29.

SPL secretary Iain Blair said: "An SPL contract allows for players to be suspended for certain offences on which I don't wish to be drawn.

"The maximum period of suspension for any single offence is four weeks."

It's understood Pressley has not yet been told the length of his suspension and Hearts have not confirmed his career at Tynecastle is over.

Pressley was told to stay away after talks with director of infrastructure Pedro Lopez on Thursday and Friday.

Confusion remains over the reasons for the deterioration in the relationship between Pressley and Romanov.

It came less than a week after the skipper had been brought back into the first team and lauded by Romanov as the cement holding Hearts together. Club sources suggested Pressley has been singled out after a probe into his statement against Romanov.

Coach Valdas Ivanauskas promised a response to the Pressley situation yesterday but refused to return calls and is believed to be abroad.

Meanwhile, Craig Gordon denied he rejected the captain's armband at St Mirren as a show of support for Pressley.

The keeper refused to skipper the side after Paul Hartley's dismissal because he felt Robbie Neilson deserved the job.

Gordon said: "In previous seasons if the captain or vicecaptain wasn't playing Robbie got the armband. It was about showing him respect."

Taken from the Daily Record