Soccer Football - Scottish Premiership - Kilmarnock v Celtic - Rugby Park, Kilmarnock, Scotland, Britain - April 16, 2023 Celtic non-executive Chairman Peter Lawwell in the stands before the match REUTERS/Russell Cheyne
Joe O’Rourke has delivered another scathing attack on Scottish refereeing following Celtic’s 3-0 win away to Livingston.
The victory was welcome but the major talking point was the joint decision taken by Don Robertson and Alan Muir not to award Celtic a penalty in the 37th minute.
With the match goal-less Alistair Johnston passed to Kyogo Furuhashi close to the penalty spot.
As the striker turned onto the ball he was wiped out by Mikey Devlin in full view of referee Robertson. As supporters and players waited for the ball to go out it seemed that a penalty was certain, at the very least Robertson would get a second look on the pitchside monitor.
Neither happened, Celtic were denied a penalty and the chance to get in front in a vital match.
? Should Celtic have had a penalty against Livingston for this challenge on Kyogo? VAR didn’t think so.
Watch the match live on @SkyFootball ? pic.twitter.com/iMWnx7eZhv
— Sky Sports Scotland (@ScotlandSky) March 31, 2024
In his Supporters Association blog O’Rourke doesn’t hold back:
Yesterday was a very important victory for the Famous Glasgow Celtic, it was a comfortable win, but once again another “Serial Cheat” Alan Muir played his part, ask 100 football supporters with an IQ of more than 2 if the tackle on Kyogo was a penalty, and you will get 100% say it was a stonewaller, but not Muir, and his fellow Dunderheid Kris Boyd, just exactly how does this guy get to commentate on any football by Sky?, as a pundit his an embarrassment.
I said the other day that outgoing Head of Refereeing now has a free hit at us from now to the end of the season, how can the SFA punish him for any blatant bias towards his favourite team? He should have been made to resign immediately. The thing that makes me laugh is, they love Newco so much that they will “Blatantly Cheat” on live television, but they did nothing to stop the same club Dying in 2012, their love only goes so far. I spoke to Michael Nicholson on Friday about my concerns, Michael assures me they are watching proceedings carefully.
Tomorrow morning the SFA will announce the officials for Sunday’s Glasgow Derby at Ibrox. It looks like John Beaton will referee it with Nick Walsh the most realistic alternative. Greg Aitken is likely to be on VAR after Andrew Dallas spotted Saturday’s penalty at home to Hibs.
Michael has assured me he is monitoring the situation carefully regarding penalties decisions,f**k off the only thing he is monitoring is season sales for next season.
This was the same doughball that tried to crack a joke when he got called out o doing nothing previously when challenged about wrong decisions being made.
Aye you can believe that wan aw ye like watching closely my arse, Nicholson is an out and out coward, who’s he trying to kid,jesus wept am sick of hearing all this rubbish from this board all cowards.
MN and PL have no intenton of improving match officiating in Scotland.
Why should we expect them to change their behaviours now?
MN & PL – & by default DD – are blockers to improving match officiating standards
in Scotland, imho.
🙁
Compare this precise penalty which was denied by all officials to the one given at Ibrox the previous day , where John Souttar is up for next season’s best actor awards already , then we know the extent to which Celtic FC is not only playing the side from Govanland next weekend ? We will be playing against the entire Football authority and administration next week ! I have a strong suspicion that the result is a foregone conclusion because the entire legislature and beyond wants and demands one ….and it’s not a Celtic win ! Incompetence does not enter the discussion on this one ….it’s way ,way beyond that kind of talk .
Now that Mr Allan is leaving are the cheating referees going to suddenly administer the rules fairly…..I bloody well doubt it…….IF THE PUNISHMENT FOR CHEATING IS “NO” PUNISHMENT WHY STOP CHEATING
Refs are that bad, I would prefer Nick Walsh. We all know hes a hun but hes not as bold as Beaton and some of the others
I’m sure Micheal and the rest of the board will be very disappointed.
GTTF.
Love to play in a fair and honest league.
Sorry…Michael who…???
Michael Nicholson celtic
Peter’s stand in.
Hopefully the ref’s are now aware that there is systematic failures in the way they favour 1 certain team , hopefully now the spotlight is on them the blatant cheating will be scrutinised, making them think twice about dodgy decisions.
Jim, if you believe that you’ll see change you probably believe in Santa Claus, Leprechauns and the Tooth Fairy.
They’re kicking sand in our faces and if O’Rourke believes Nicholson then he’s part of the problem. They KNOW what they’re doing is cheating but there’s shamefully no-one to call it out at our club. The SMSM is riddled with huns like Boyd who also know they’re lying but they don’t care. Unashamed SCUM. Allan should have been sacked immediately for failing to get the support across elite football in Scotland and a temporary replacement brought in from abroad, AT WHATEVER COST, to see out the season with some semblance of justice.
They’re ALL in it together to help the new huns, including our Board, and when the new huns win the Title and the associated big bucks for CL it’ll sustain them for years and they ALL know it’ll be too late to do anything. FFS, it’s so obvious and it’s even worse with the new huns than it was with the original ones who died in 2012.
Same flies on a new shite as some wit described it years ago. I’m old enough to have seen it all before and just can’t believe we’ve got a huge support that does fuck all about it. THAT and the PLC Board who actually encourage helping ‘them’.
Talk about fucking sickening!!!!!!!!
Why would you believe a word he says. I certainly don’t although to be fair since he got the job I have never heard him speak or seen him either. Does he actually exist ?
Sorry…Michael who…???
MICHAEL NICHOLSON – CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER
Celtic FC
Go look up IRONY Stephen….Cheers.
That helps
Despite the big guns KC, representing Rodgers and putting the SFA to the sword (laugh, laugh), it’s business as usual for the men in black. Clearly all the contradictions and comparisons perceivably raised by the eminent KC, brought the SFA house down….eh naw.
The punishment given to Rodgers was always going to be what he got, going by previous penalties dished out for similar. Anyone who thinks we won something with Rodgers being in the dugout at Ipox is deluded. As for that big streak of p@sh Nicholson, he’d sh@t a brick from a house spider. Re Crawford Allan, if indeed he has been ousted due to VAR, he should have been put on gardening leave.
No way should he be anywhere near deciding on who officiates. The joke is still on us. A good start would have been to reject and appeal the penalty given to Rodgers. The very act would have put those cnutz on the back door. And if they still persisted, then take it all the way to independent arbitration. But of course, until Celtic FC actually grows a set, the status quo remains.
They will continue to cheat in favour of the establishment team, whilst Celtic suffer as a consequence. It’s so surprising really that in 2024, we still allow ourselves to be forced to sit at the back of the bus. And I say ourselves, because we are part of the Celtic family. The club’s history and our history are entwined. So by looking the other way, with a feeble comment now and then to “appease” the fans, fools no one.
The Celtic Board should either pick up the gauntlet and challenge this 1690 cabal or resign. Pathetic, gutless shower. An embarrassment to all Tims
Why would you believe a word he says. I certainly don’t although to be fair since he got the job I have never heard him speak or seen him either. Does he actually exist ?
this sorry excuse imposter has called no one out. it is dereliction of his duty. while season tickets and champions league costs increased they awarded themselves a rise it really is beyond belief.
What’s fckn new? But it’s getting worse.
I guess the polis will busy on Sunday with this new law the government brought in. Countless arrests ?
if michael is watching things carefully then we the ordinary fans will be watching what michael has to say and if he does what he normally does then he will be called out as well.
“Micheal assures me that they are watching proceedings carefully”
Aye watching carefully to make sure that Sevco gets the jackpot and Dermot’s ‘O$D – F#RM is back from the dead like the ‘great club’ – (His fcukin words and not mine) !