Neil Lennon: I thought that the referee had a fine game

Neil Lennon praised referee Iain Brines after yesterday’s 1-0 win over St Mirren.

At the end of an interview for Radio Scotland the Celtic boss made a point of praising Brines much to the amusement of interviewer Chic Young and presenter Richard Gordon

“I thought that the referee had a fine game today”, Lennon said before the interview descended into hysterical laughter

“Hang on, do you want to just repeat that,” Young replied. “I just want to make sure that the nation heard that, can you just say that one more time.

“Mr Brines had a fine game today said Neil Lennon, I’ll write that down, I’ve got no further questions after that.”

Despite the apparently popular view that Lennon criticises every referee and every decision the Celtic manager has only been critical of referees after three matches this season- one of which Celtic won.

Requests have been made to the SFA for clarification on decisions made in the games against Dundee United and Rangers with Lennon also appealing a two match touchline ban handed out after being sent off during the 2-0 defeat from Hearts last week.

Lennon also praised Craig Thomson following the 3-2 Co-Operative Cup win over St Johnstone last month despite seeing a perfectly good goal disallowed by the offside flag of an assistant linesman.

Next Saturday Celtic face a rematch with Dundee United- the fixture that triggered a crisis amongst referees and the within the SFA.

The officials for that match will be announced by the SFA later this morning, even by their own standards it’s fairly safe to say that Dougie Dougie McDonald is unlikely to be in charge at Parkhead.

Tomorrow Celtic’s u-19 side face Rangers at Barrowfield with the match kicking off at 1pm.

Get well soon Tam Donnelly of the NAFCSC currently home on a vacation at the Victoria Infirmary

Gary Hooper- a hero in the making

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