Dougie Dougie's parting shot at Aiden McGeady

Bleating Dougie McDonald has partly blamed Aiden McGeady for forcing his retirement- nine months on from the Celtic winger questioning Dougie Dougie’s impartiality.

Scotland assistant Peter Houston is also on the end of Dougie Dougie’s criticism.

Strangely enough the incidents that drew criticism from McGeady and Houston both occurred in matches against Rangers at Ibrox within a fortnight earlier this year.

On February 28 McDonald showed a neat turn of pace to brandish a red card at Scott Brown against Rangers as Kyle Lafferty theatrically fell to the ground after putting the Celtic midfielder in a headlock.

Asked about the referee that day McGeady said: “It’s safe to say he wasn’t impartial the other day. Of course it didn’t look like a red card for Scott Brown.”

During that match McDonald showed incredible tolerance of Madjid Bougherra who seemed immune to further punishment after picking up a yellow card in the first half of the match.

Two weeks later at Ibrox Dundee United were leading Rangers until the home side were awarded two penalties.

United battled back to earn a 3-3 draw and defeat Rangers in the replay but the penalty incidents clearly upset Houston.

“I am disappointed and I just wonder if the penalties would have been given at the other end. I hope they would have been,” said the Dundee United manager.

“Dougie is an honest referee in normal circumstances, I think he is one of the best in Scotland. But I was disappointed that he got there early to give the penalty kicks.”

Dougie Dougie’s announcement today of his retirement seems like a delayed reaction to those comments.

In his retirement statement he said: “It is also important to make clear that just as this issue is not about Dougie McDonald alone, nor is it about Celtic Football Club alone.

“The truth is, since I became a class one referee, managers or players – and sometimes directors – at almost every club, at one time or another, have been guilty of such behaviour.

“The only difference being the degree and tenor of the criticism and the inferences from it.

“The constant has been the unwillingness of the SFA general purposes committee to deal with it.

“I suggest they check the meaning of phrases such as ‘wasn’t impartial’ used by (former Celtic winger) Aiden McGeady and ‘conspires to’ used by (Dundee United manager) Peter Houston and consider whether we want those used in Scottish football.”

One phrase that certainly won’t be heard during another Scottish football match is ‘Dougie Dougie’.

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