Billy McNeill- referees have operated with attitudes that were anti-Celtic

Celtic Ambassador Billy McNeill believes that the club has never had a fair deal from referees.

McNeill captained Celtic through their greatest ever era under Jock Stein and twice managed the club.

Despite unprecedented success, especially in Europe, there was always a feeling that being the best in Scotland wasn’t enough- to win trophies for Celtic you had to be much better than the opposition.

Speaking in The Sun today the club’s most successful captain admits that ‘Celtic players have to rise above it’

He said: “In my day, there were referees who made mistakes but there were others who didn’t give Celtic a fair crack and who found it very difficult to be perfectly fair and honest about what they did. Is that the same today?

“Referees out to get Celtic is nothing new. It’s been happening for years. Ever since the days I was a manager and during my career I always felt there were referees who targeted Celtic when they took charge of our games.

“They operated with attitudes that were anti-Celtic. I genuinely believe that.

“Well, this week’s events don’t do much to pour cold water on the theory but no matter referee’s decisions Celtic’s players have to rise above it all.

“They have to be good enough to win without any help from the officials.

“That might sound harsh – but after what happened with Dougie McDonald at Tannadice, for me it’s fair comment.

“Refs have a tough job, no question, the higher they go, the harder it becomes but sometimes it’s just in their nature to produce performances that makes them a target for the fans.

“To hear guys like McDonald openly admit things like this is incredible. They should concentrate on being as efficient as they possibly can – without telling the world about their mistakes.

“This simply gives ammunition to those who believe refs are against Celtic. What happens next will be interesting.”

The SFA’s head of refereeing Hugh Dallas has been working furiously to save himself after the allegations from Steven Craven.

Dallas hasn’t addressed the central issue of why a decision was changed at Tannadice and why the Celtic manager was lied to with no subsequent apology.

Dallas and McDonald have added to their lies by claiming that Lennon was satisfied and even happy with the false explanation that he got after the match.

A fresh start in refereeing matters is required with promotion open to all rather than those that get invited into Dallas’s inner circle of sub-standard officials.

McNeill added: “The SFA have to really crack down and keep an eye on the men in the middle.

“If they believe these guys are blatantly – or silently – being unfair, they need to throw them out.

“The suggestion of bringing continental refs in for the likes of Old Firm games has cropped up again and that might be a sound idea.”

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