David Dickinson and Greg Aitken were never going to spoil Christmas for their family and friends, even with a two goal lead they weren’t prepared to apply the Laws of the Game to bring a proud 72 match run to a halt.
On Wednesday Steven McLean has the task to taking the run to 74, his CV suggests that Ross County would be as well sending their u-18 team to Ibrox on Wednesday night.
Over the course of three managers, three English Prime ministers, two UK monarchs, 108 hours, the introduction of VAR and 73 SPFL matches no referee has dared to award a penalty against the 2012 Ibrox Tribute Act.
That sterling work from Dickinson, Aitken, Andrew Dallas, Alan Muir, Nick Walsh, John Beaton, McLean, Willie Collum, Don Robertson have all made massive contributions to the 73 match run, setting a high bar for the other aspiring referees to emulate.
Over the last month Barry Robson, Tony Docherty and now Stuart Kettlewell have spoken out about the double standards in Scottish football which boils down to how easily penalties are awarded for one club while it is impossible for them to have one awarded against them.
After more than a year of VAR we are supposed to believe that there hasn’t been a handball, a shirt-pull or foul committed by James Tavernier, Connor Goldson, Cyriel Dessers, Borna Barisic, John Lundstram and friends.
Scottish football fans across all Premiership clubs have been calling it out, three managers, knowing that they could all be sacked before the season is out, have highlighted the issue with the legacy media quick to bury it with the exception of Richard Gordon at the Evening Express in Aberdeen.
?? “Quite clearly his arm is pulled and he was hauled to the ground…I see them given every single week!”
Stuart Kettlewell reacts to Motherwell’s 2-0 defeat to Rangers and feels some decisions didn’t go his sides way when they should have ?? pic.twitter.com/nznh6P0LNy
— Sky Sports Scotland (@ScotlandSky) December 24, 2023
The one that was brought to my attention from our analyst is the pull on Mika Biereth’s arm. Backpost he looks favourite to get a touch on the ball. I am seeing them given as penalties constantly.
I think Rangers themselves have benefited from a number of incidents like that but my question is are we actually checking them? We keep getting told everything is being checked.
I am not sure if that one has been specifically checked as I would defy anybody to tell me if it has been checked, we are ok with it. If that influences him from getting to the ball, I think we are all on the same page are we not?
That it has to be a penalty. From the naked eye and what I have seen liv and on a replay, that looks like it has to be a penalty based on the benchmark is for giving penalties in this league.
I am not making excuses for it, it is just you would love one or two of these things to fall for you and they absolutely don’t. I watch highlights programmes every week and I see them given every single week.
I’m hugely disappointed with the decision to give the penalty kick and VAR’s involvement in it.
The image presented to Kevin Clancy favours the penalty being given but the reality is there is bustling in the box, Sima has hold of Aaron Donnelly’s shirt and Kevin Clancy deemed that to be OK. He then gets shown an image in a real pivotal moment of the game at 1-1. You need things to go for you and that one went against us.
There’s a lot said about pulling shirts in boxes. The referees had all said not everyone is a penalty when there is a pull of a shirt inside.
Stefan got blocked, I think we can all see that. VAR haven’t bothered looking at the block and just looked at the shirt. We’re in trouble aren’t we? If this is the way it’s going to go. For me, it doesn’t look good…another VAR decision going Rangers’ way in the 90th minute again. It doesn’t look good for..I don’t know I’m just frustrated. It took him long enough didn’t it? (Walsh) What I feel I can’t say.
Tellingly the SFA haven’t taken any action against Robson or Docherty for questioning their match officials, preferring not to draw attention to the ongoing 73 match run.
Equally tellingly there has been complete silence from Dundee and Aberdeen about these decisions. Alan Burrows and Dave Cormack are never slow to turn to Twitter for when they think that there is sympathy to milk from supporters.
? “Penalty Rangers”
Celtic chief Michael Nicholson’s cutting reply when quizzed on referees and VAR at AGMhttps://t.co/6vJYJ8p66Ihttps://t.co/6vJYJ8p66I
— Scottish Sun Sport (@scotsunsport) November 22, 2023
Once again I’m sounding like broken down record player,nothing will change in game until fans stay away.
SO STIP THE BITCHING,and hurry up and sell out Celtic Park again,MUGS.
In the last 3 games the tribute have benefited from 5 (simply corrupt) decisions
If only we had guys like Kettlewell, Robson and Docherty within the walls at Parkhead…
If only, If only, If only, If only –
Perhaps they’d have less football management ability than those that are in the building…
But by fcuk they’d certainly have more balls for sure –
And yes – That is more balls than you’ll every have Mr Brendan Rodgers !
Merry Christmas everyone . I hope someone in the game today …a name of heft ,has the Donegal’ s to ask the simple question …. how bent is the game in Scotland ? Stand up and be counted ! Ask it on a live show like Sportsound or another radio show where the chance for the question to be deleted is very small . Go right for the jugular ! No holding back ! Full bore on ,right to the point . Are you the guy who sets the cat amongst the pigeons? It needs to be asked and the answer needs to be forensically examined . The longer you dither …the more the incompetence and corruptions continue …
Have to agree with both comments… I think the radio silence from Celtic actually frustrates me more than the cheating – call it out Celtic FFS… Sad that it is up to punters to have to (potentially) stay away from games to force some fairness in the game, what do our board get paid for? It’s also hardly a new phenomenon, games been rigged for decades in this country. PL et al need to get aff their fat ar#@s and earn their world class salaries (ain’t gonna happen)
The silence of the PLC is baffling. We all know that Big Peter et al are only interested in money. If so, why are they putting next season’s CL bounty at risk? At best, their behaviour is rank incompetence. At worst, they are actively collaborating with the football authorities, in order to give a helping to the criminal enterprise operating out of Ibrox.
Hail Hail.
Editor: Above all ‘big Peter’ needs to keep the events of 2012 a closely guarded secret, he will allow anything to go against Celtic as long as the digital trail of 2012, especially July, gets kept out of public view.
I do remember Brechin City played “Sevco” in ther first ever game in July 2012.
The ibrox club was officially “Sevco” at that time,
before it offically became “The Rangers”,
[the following week I think it was.]
I tried with several sources to see the teamsheet of that day,
to confirm what the team name was on that day – without success.
And there were insurance related queries too…?
I find that behaviour even more baffling, if anything. The 5WA is public knowledge. Those PLC members involved in ignoring this sham, are guilty of, at the very least, acting against the interest of Celtic FC. At the bare minimum, a stackable offence. Celtic historians of the future will not judge the actions of these individuals favourably. Quite the reverse, in point of fact.
Hail Hail.