Chris McLaughlin aptly demonstrated the lengths that BBC Scotland will go to to avoid offending anyone at Ibrox.
The state broadcaster has almost become a parody as they get Kenny Macintyre, Tom English and Steven Thompson to front their output which goes to incredible lengths to avoid even the mildest criticism of the club formed by Charles Green in 2012.
In 2015 McLaughlin, the chief Sports Reporter at BBC Scotland, reported fans being ejected by police for sectarian singing in a match away to Hibs. Since that incident there has been a bizarre stand-off between the Ibrox club and the broadcaster which goes overboard in drooling over all matters Ibrox-related.
Yesterday, as usual, McLaughlin would have watched the action from Ibrox on pictures from Sky Sports.
He would have noticed the five minute delay to starting the second half as glass was cleared from Joe Hart’s goal, soon after wards a glass/cup/container narrowly avoided Jota as he took a corner in front of the Union Bears.
At his all-in post match media conference Ange Postecoglou confirmed that a member of his medical staff had been hit in the head by a glass bottle, requiring stitches at half time.
Managers may sometimes be cute with their words when discussing transfer targets or injury issues, after a defeat any deflection will be thrown at the media to run with.
None of these were the case at Ibrox yesterday.
Rather than accept the word of the Celtic manager, as STV, Radio Clyde and Sky Sports did the Chief Football Reporter at BBC Scotland decided to cast some doubt on the incident by tweeting about ‘Celtic say’.
With his vast experience and contacts McLaughlin could easily have had the story confirmed before he tweeted, he chose not to with fans quick to take him to task over a very peculiar choice of words.
Celtic say a member of their backroom team needed urgent medical attention and stitches to a head wound after being struck by a bottle during today’s derby match at Ibrox.
— Chris McLaughlin (@BBCchrismclaug) April 3, 2022
“Celtic say” , hang your head in shame!!!
— Mick (@thebhoymick) April 4, 2022
? A member of Celtic’s backroom staff required stitches after being struck by a missile at Ibrox.https://t.co/MfwlIGpLzE
— Clyde 1 Superscoreboard (@ClydeSSB) April 3, 2022
His name is Danny. He’s a physio with Celtic. You know him. Any decent journalist would gave reported it as fact and not as a claim. pic.twitter.com/sou7ImyoaB
— KnightInPaperArmour (@KnightInPaper) April 3, 2022
Interesting words.. Did you not see the game? Did you not see the pictures of his head split open. The glass on the pitch? I think we can skip past the alleged bit mate.
Celtic say?
— Largie (@CatholicUtdBhoy) April 4, 2022
Exactly!..why worded like its a fantastical claim and a case of he said/we said
Maybe fact Rangers dont talk to @BBCScotland means such open ended puff needed?
— E-Tims (@ETimsNet) April 3, 2022
Chris if you were wording this text again, is this the wording you would use.
Or were you more concerned of offending any institution ?— dexy’s lunchtime strollers (@daveross67) April 4, 2022
They didn’t say it Chris it actually happened, what a disingenuous way to put it across, it’s as if you’re inferring that it didn’t happen. The usual smsm spin, when will the Fourth Estate in this country call out that club and it’s support? Surely the SFA must sanction them now
— quillers@hotmail.co.uk (@QuillersTommy) April 3, 2022
You either need to step up Chris or find another job mate
— Joe (@onekinghenrik) April 3, 2022
Celtic say” hmm you not believe them? Also what about the glass on the pitch? Why? Why were this lot EVER allowed to come back in any form is beyond me
— DR Hackenbush (@HackenbushDr1) April 3, 2022
The police are investigating that & many other incidents, including broken bottles onto Celtic goal area & other missiles being thrown.
— ArtiW (@ArtiW13) April 3, 2022
Is that the tweet. No condemnation, nothing!
— Vik ???????? (@weeevee) April 3, 2022
Oh dear wee Chris still trying to claw his way back into the klan klubs good books where he is looked upon as the two bob journalist with a contagious disease.
Another of the tea-cosy variety at ibrox sitting there telling lies.
Backward wee country. We get the “journalists” we deserve. HH
Someone should rattle pea heed with a bottle then maybe he can write the truth, fuckin retard. HH
Bluenose Broadcasting Cabal(BBC) starting a report of an attack on one of its backroom staff with ” Celtic say” oh sweet Lord. Defund the BBC. Failing that don’t watch their tv channels or listen to their radio stations. BBC Sevco kissing Ibrox butt for decades.