GLASGOW, SCOTLAND - DECEMBER 15: Referee Don Robertson interacts with Jack Butland of Rangers during the Premier League match between Rangers and Hibernian at Ibrox Stadium on December 15, 2025 in Glasgow, Scotland. (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)
Hibs have visited Glasgow twice so far in the SPFL, Don Robertson has refereed both matches.
Robertson, alongside Nick Walsh and John Beaton is on the rota for the top matches. The Derby fixtures, cup semis and finals, matches between top six teams.
The Laws of the Game don’t change in mid-season but Hibs, playing very similarly found their matches at Celtic Park and Ibrox.
ROBERTSON ON POSSESSION
On September 27 Hibs visited Celtic Park and had only 23% possession. Generously Robertson awarded David Gray’s side 16 free kicks, Celtic got one, in the 88th minute.
At Ibrox on December 15 things were very different. Hibs had 49% possession but only got 14 free kicks. Two less than at Celtic Park despite having more than double the amount of possession on the ball.
Danny Rohl’s side had 51% possession, Robertson awarded them 17 free kicks. With much less possession they got 17 times the amount of free kicks that Celtic had three months earlier.
Effectively Celtic had three quarters of ball possession against Hibs and got one free kick.
Rohl’s side had half of the ball against Hibs but were awarded 17 free kicks!
Were Hibs holding back against Celtic or booting lumps out of their opponents at Ibrox.
Or does Robertson referee Celtic matches in a very different way to other matches?
Whatever he is doing it works, Willie Collum put him in charge of five of Celtic’s first 14 SPFL matches. Under three different managers the hoops have had the vast bulk of possession- their opponents were all awarded more free kicks.
Three months later at Ibrox things were very different for Hibs.
On Saturday Robertson will referee the match between Kilmarnock and St Mirren, next Tuesday he’ll be in the VAR studio for match between Hibs and Aberdeen.
Too many tickly handshakes for my liking.
So the distress signals are out once again at ibrox,with toes being dipped in the water regarding finance being made available for some repairs to be carried out,with a big massive begging bowl being splashed about,step forward the dunderheids at klub1872.
Once again they are back out in force,the klub that’s done more TAPPING than a blind man’s stick.
BOOM!
Heh Madman ah wish you’d change Yir patter as often as you change your social media handle.
It’s a giveaway and it doesn’t get any better or funnier being repeated under so many so called different persona…
Scud Misile
The Joker
The one where you gave away your real name, email address and DofB
The current iteration Madman Mars
Plus one or two earlier ones that will no doubt be brought out of retirement soon.
Give it a rest..please.
It is beyond comprehension how anybody would invest in Scottish football in the current state of affairs? I just don’t get it at all!
Good work Joe
Cheats with whistles flags and monitors then…
Cheats with whistles flags and monitors now…
Cheats with whistles flags and monitors forever !