St Johnstone are appealing against the red card issued to Nicky Clark during his side’s defeat at Ibrox on Saturday.
Already trailing to a Tavpen, St Johnstone were reduced to 10 men in the 36th minute after Clark clashed with Ryan Jack.
Unusually for him, Willie Collum took his time with the decision, waiting more than 30 seconds before producing a red card.
The Lanarkshire based referee didn’t require to check the pitch-side monitor, a couple of minutes later he did have another look at he stood by the decision to yellow card Jack for a brutal attack on Adam Montgomery.
The Sun reports:
ST JOHNSTONE have lodged an appeal against Nicky Clark’s red card at Rangers.
Saints boss Callum Davidson was furious he was red-carded for a foul on Ryan Jack without ref Willie Collum checking with VAR.
Telly pictures showed Clark pulling out of the challenge so Saints will now fight his corner as a Hampden hearing.
Collum was at the centre of controversy for only yellow carding the Gers man for a lunge on Adam Montgomery, despite being asked to look at his decision again by the video ref.
Saints hope to free Clark up to face Motherwell by appealing against Collum’s call.
Davidson said: “Overall I think VAR has been a success, it has been good so far – but last weekend was one I just didn’t understand.
“We are not happy so we will appeal it because it didn’t go to VAR and I think there will be grounds for an appeal on it.
“Nicky was pulled so was losing his balance and he pulled his leg away. I don’t think he caught Ryan Jack at all, it was a knee-to-knee.
“It was hard to see it from the angles we’ve got but there was no malice, there was no intent to hurt anyone. If he’s lunged in at Jack with his feet up we’d say it was a red card but I don’t think it was.”
It would be something of a shock if the SFA overturned a decision arrived at by Collum and Nick Walsh, on Wednesday Walsh will switch from PE teacher into referee mode for Celtic’s match against Livingston.
It wasn’t a red card, but I wish people would stop saying ” there was no malice in it “.
Apart from being impossible to prove or disprove, the question of malice is not one of the criteria to consider when issuing a red card.
Absence of malice is usually used as a deflection tactic by managers or media fanboys when one of their players or favourites has gone in too hard and endangered an opposing player.
It’s just more lazy bullshit talk from the usual suspects.
There certainly was malice in Jack’s straight-leg lunge at Montgomery, with his studs leading, a cowardly tackle and he should hve been Red-carded, but nothing will happen and the score will stand, despite there being VR on Saturday.
The St. Johnstone one will be rescinded in time for Sunday?
Welcome to the twisted world of Scottish football.
Time to bring in foreign (possibly English) refs and VARS. When the spectator is denied a fair product and players are put at risk of serious injury that’s just too far.