Today's Daily Telegraph reports that the row erupted after Glasgow, weakened by international call-ups, selected five Hawks players for tonight's Celtic League match against the Borders, in breach of a protocol which states that a maximum of two may be drawn from any one club.
Loose forwards Steve Swindall and Jon Barclay, prop Eric Milligan, hooker Fergus Thomson and utility back Colin Shaw were the Hawks players called up, seriously undermining the club's prospects for the BT Premiership derby against GHA, scheduled for tomorrow. As a consequence, and in keeping with the protocol's guidelines, Hawks officials requested that the GHA game be postponed, but were surprised to learn that postponements were not mandatory, but were at the discretion of McGeechan.
The match was eventually postponed and has been rearranged for 13 February.
A Hawks spokesman said: "We rely on goodwill of our players and everyone around the club. It's all right for professional outfits to leave everything to the last minute, but we can't work that way."
The biggest attendance of the season was expected at Braidholm on Saturday, and the pre-match hospitality meal was fully subscribed months ago. Despite their disappointment that an attractive Premier One fixture had to be called off less than 48 hours before the kick-off, the GHA website states that the club appreciate why Hawks called for the postponement, suffering from the knock-on effect of Scotland international calls on Glasgow's ranks. In the circumstances the Braidholm club had no reason to object to Hawks' request.