GLASGOW, SCOTLAND - MARCH 09: Referee Nick Walsh during a Scottish Gas Scottish Cup Quarter-Final match between Celtic and Hibernian at Celtic Park, on March 09, 2025, in Glasgow, Scotland. (Photo by Craig Foy/SNS Group via Getty Images)
Nick Walsh is apparently one of Scotland’s best referees.
Last Tuesday he was in charge for Aberdeen visiting Ibrox, on Saturday he was across the city for Celtic v Dundee United.
Just before Christmas he was in charge of Danny Rohl’s side when they lost 2-1 away to Hearts.
WALSH THE BUSY PART-TIMER
Somehow he found himself refereeing the Champions League ties between Copenhagen and Kairat Almaty and Bayern Munch against Sporting Lisbon earlier this season.
His employers at Boclair Academy in Bearsden, where the Murray Park starlets are educated, must be generous with time off for lucrative European jollies during the school week.
UEFA’s Referee Committee are bound to be interested in the clip below as Walsh clearly defies the Laws of the Game.
???
Dundee United goalkeeper holding the ball for EIGHTEEN seconds before Nick Walsh decides it’s a freekick against Maeda for….. Standing near the box??
Unbelievable ??? https://t.co/StVs4rS6js
— ?? ? (@p_bov1) January 10, 2026
During the summer FIFA introduced the eight second rule to prevent goalkeepers from time wasting.
It was a well used tactic at Celtic Park alongside frequently injured players feigning injury up against opponents with more than 70% possession.
If a goalkeeper doesn’t release the ball within eight seconds a corner is awarded against his team.
FIFA CUTS OUT TIME WASTING
The rule has been very effective, it has forced opponents at Celtic Park to concentrate on other time wasting options.
In the clip Dave Richards takes possession of the ball at the two seconds mark. Daizen Maeda is about 20 yards away.
The Celtic forward walks towards the goalkeeper to cut down his options, at the continues to close down options for the goalkeeper Richards starts to panic.
At 13 seconds Richards is alarmed, shouting and pointing at Maeda who is now about 7 yards away. Richards knows he has broken a Law of the Game. He has held the ball for more than eight seconds.
Maeda remains outside the penalty box, at 20 seconds Walsh whistles from the halfway line.
As the Celtic forward turns to the centre to see what is going on Richards roles the ball outside of his penalty box and takes a free kick.
DIY LAWS OF THE GAME
It has long been suspected that match officials just run the match whatever way suits them.
Celtic were leading 2-0 close to half time, it seemed that Walsh just wanted the half finished.
Despite three injury stoppages including two in the first half and two goals which were checked for VAR Walsh added just one minute at the end of the first half.
Celtic had 78% possession against Dundee United. Walsh managed to come up with a 12-5 free kick count against the team that had possession for more than three quarters of the match.
No questions were asked at the post match media conference about Walsh failing to apply the Laws of the Game in the 41st minute.
Walsh’s career is fully reliant on Willie Collum. The Head of Refereeing at the SFA is portrayed as a right good guy because he co-hosts the VAR Review on Sky Sports once a month with Gordon Duncan.
Would have been interesting if Maeda had turned round and just kicked the ball on the ground for the ‘free kick’
into the goal. Yes, he would probably have been booked, but it could have forced more focus on Walsh.
I’m sure our ‘world class’ CEO is on the case tbough… 🙁
The corrupt officials do what they like on the park we all seen utd players falling and rolling about as if they were kicked all over the park eh and walsh gave them every foul evening for just falling Scottish officials need a kicking the baws and wake bastards upi wònder who’s in the today to help sevco fc 2012 get 3 points ill say loyalist beaton our masonic Dickinson its a cert cheats of scotland the men in black and the cheats in blue rats rats.
Just think about that…A REFEREE JUST MADE UP HIS OWN RULE.
He can and WILL do it again as he sees fit. It’s official,they are now openly CHEATING in plain sight without hesitation or hint of embarrassment or shame…live,on camera,and nobody cares. Extraordinary. I’d be less bewildered if my cat had laid an egg.
It may not be a popular opinion, but from our bank of useless refs I rate Walsh as the best we have.
I think he gets more right than wrong and isn’t afraid, like others, to penalise Sevco as and when required.
TBH id prefer foreign refs for derby matches but that’s unlikely as it would show the SFA as not fit for purpose.
Interesting Analysis!….
I’ll say it AGIAIN “if the punishment for cheating is no punishment why stop cheating ” I wonder what Willie Collum thinks of that….if CELTIC win and complain we are told just enjoy the moment…if we complain after a defeat it’s just sour grapes and to just get over yourselves …all we have ever asked is for Scottish referees to apply the rules of the game “everytime” to “every club” …Warton,Young,Mccurry,Douglas . To name but a few …make up the rules as THEY see fit because the people charged to oversee them think and support the same scum..on a personal note. God rest him. I asked a former referee…how can a referee “cheat ” and NOT be questioned.. without hesitation he said free kicks and bookings…I said why..because WE are NOT challenged or asked about them. Mmmm sounds relevant today.. I was told that more than 20 years ago…
I thought they brought that rule in years ago??? The holding the ball one, not the “I’m a corrupt masonic hun scumbag” one. Typically enough not a peep will be sounded about it by the club. Remember the days of the supposed “dossier”? Whatever happened with that, eh?
If you listen really hard, maybe, just maybe you will hear the sound of the new Celtic chairman saying …
Nothing.
Sshhh.
Correct decision? For this ( alleged) incident. Indirect free kick and yellow card to maeda.
But, this wasn’t given, as per the laws of the game. Hence, cheating. His FIFA badge must be removed. Need to ask UEFA/FIFA, About this incident
Another Honest Mistake??
I assume the linesman (assistant referee) was doing…his…job being in line with the last man . If he was… being miked up to the referee he must have agreed with the decision….so not only did the referee “Walsh” invent an infringement and applied an imaginary rule.the assistant referee and everyone in the VAR room went along with it.. I think they all did that because the punishment is…….NO PUNISHMENT
He could’ve possibly sent off our new player !