Scott Brown called out the whole Willie Collum stitch up at Ibrox last night.
The SFA won’t put the Lanarkshire official in charge of an SPFL match but were prepared to sacrifice Ayr’s Scottish Cup hopes in order to keep John Bennett and the howling dogs of Ibrox social media happy.
Collum was the target for an intensive campaign of intimidation following an offside decision in the December 30 Glasgow Derby which Celtic won 2-1, culminating in the demand that he is no longer involved in matches involving the Ibrox club.
That was never likely to happen but put Collum on notice and sent out a warning to every other referee over what to expect if they don’t give decisions that favour the 2012 Tribute Act.
Collum knew what was expected of him at Ibrox yesterday, he achieved all of his KPI’s with a bonus for booking the Ayr United manager. The yellow card was delivered from a distance without the courtesy of explaing what offence had been committed.
? LISTEN: “It was the pressure… some people can deal with it and some people can’t”.
? Ayr United boss Scott Brown is explaining why he felt Willie Collum didn’t give Rangers striker Fabio Silva a second yellow card. pic.twitter.com/7gsHA2cAQh
— Clyde 1 Superscoreboard (@ClydeSSB) February 10, 2024
The second goal comes from a man who probably shouldn’t be on the park. It was a big decision, a pressure decision and it probably was not the right decision.
I knew he was never going to get sent off, that it was never going to be a red card. I think if it had been the other way around it could have been. It was the pressure, coming into these big occasions. Some people can deal with it, some people can’t.
The big decisions all went in one direction, with 70 minutes on the clock the home side were leading 1-0 when a player that should have been sent off scored the decisive second goal to kill off Ayr.
Warm handshakes all round. The SFA had stood up to the demand not to appoint Collum, the Lanarkshire referee was back on message with every referee in the country reminded of what is expected.
With 14 SPFL matches left this season Collum isn’t expected to be involved in any, Alan Muir will referee Wednesday’s game at home to Ross County, his second appointment involving Philippe Clement’s side this year after taking charge of the Scottish Cup tie at Dumbarton last month.
Willie Collum books Scott Brown at £1brox.
Apparently Collum shat it from giving a red card to a Rang*rs player. pic.twitter.com/pTUHjtl3ls
— Celtic Curio (@Celticcurio) February 10, 2024
“Probably shouldn’t be on the park” – why the bloody probably bit – He simply SHOULDN’T and that’s it…
“Probably not the right decision” – Again it simply WASN’T the right decision and that’s also it –
“If it was the other way round it could have been” – It simply WOULD have been and that’s it lock, stock n’ barrel…
Better than nothing from Broony right enough but he could have gone further like I did –
However he’s probably now facing a touchline ban for what he said !