EDINBURGH, SCOTLAND - JANUARY 25: Referee Steven McLean during a William Hill Premiership match between Heart of Midlothian and Celtic at Tynecastle Park, on January 25, 2026, in Edinburgh, Scotland. (Photo by Ross Parker/SNS Group via Getty Images)
Steven McLean came up with an absolute masterclass today to deny Celtic full points from Tynecastle.
The refereeing career of the Glasgow based official should have been dead and buried in April 2015 following the Josh Meekings handball.
That day the Inverness Caley Thistle defender used his arm to block a net-bound header from Leigh Griffiths to put Celtic 2-0 up in a Scottish Cup semi-final.
THE MCLEAN CRIME SHEET
At the time Meekings would have been red carded with Celtic awarded a penalty.
McLean opted to ignore the blatant foul.
Thanks to the cowardly acceptance of Peter Lawwell McLean’s career has gone from strength to strength. Culminating in today’s masterclass at Tynecastle.
Under the guidance of Willie Collum the current officials are much more subtly in how they interpret the Laws of the Game.
Celtic had 45% possession in today’s match. The free kick count was 22-13 against the hoops.
We know what you are Steven Mclean https://t.co/6q2qZRlmes
— alex (@alexjg0) January 25, 2026
Hearts have little to offer from open play. Match officials know that their main goal threat is from set-pieces. Corners and free kicks within 40 yards of goal.
Throughout the whole match Hearts players fell to the ground and got free kicks on demand.
McLean obliged every time. Turning a blind eye to the late elbows and fly kicks landing on Celtic players.
In the 77th minute a Hearts forward ran across Auston Trusty and fell to the ground. McLean reached for a yellow card. On back up John Beaton upgraded to red.
Celtic were leading 2-1 at that stage. Hearts equalised in the 87th minutes, from minimal stoppages McLean decided to add on eight minutes of stoppage time.
At the 2023 Celtic AGM Michael Nicholson was questioned on an incident involving Beaton. He sniggered a reply of ‘penalty to Rangers’ to the amusement of his boardroom colleagues.
There will be no comment from Celtic on today’s officials. Not even a refreshing of the trusted ‘surprised and disappointed’ statement.
? “No more a red card than a blue card!”
Celtic boss Martin O’Neill says it was not a clear goalscoring opportunity for Auston Trusty’s red card at Hearts ?? pic.twitter.com/FfFVsmlfyB
— Sky Sports Scotland (@ScotlandSky) January 25, 2026
If we had any decent alternative at all Maeda wouldn’t be near the squad.
He has given us virtually nothing the entire season.
Between him, Hatate & Engels we have 3 players capable of passing the ball directly to the opposition at any given moment, and usually in our final 3rd.
Without KS, today wuda been a humiliation.
On a brighter note, the new guy looks as though he’s got something.
Both Sportsound commentators Ryan stevenson (ex Hearts) and Packie Bonner agreed and saw the sending off of Austin trusty the same way as Martin. Ball going away from goal and defender potentially covering behind. Therefore No Clear Goal Scoring Opportunity. So no Red Card offence.
Video advantage … !
We all knew the script when that cheating beaton had a peek, and that pathetic wimp-mc lean would oblige…..
Joke decision-never a red!!
McLean should have been sacked as a referee 11 years ago for deliberately cheating as 40,000 fans and every one on TV saw the player stopping the ball with his hand but 6 officials did not see it.????
Probably the Most Absurd Decision in European Football.
Boyd today
Jackson and co tonight
Halliday etc on SSB tomo
Jibes about tin foil hats
Officials backed up.
While our board say f*ck all .
There’s the narrative set for the week
You know how it goes
I’ve said It for years, it started with Thomson and has snowballed since, Hard v Soft refereeing, anyone who has played football at any level can testify to how frustrating it is when your opponent is allowed to foul with impunity and you are punished at the slightest contact, the difference in how he referred both teams today was corrupt, simple…..
However, if MN can be woken from his self induced coma and actually do his job by recruiting 3 players that we have needed for over a year, now then we still have a great chance of the double, tick tock, Michael…..
HH
He Needs to Wait on Dermot Desmond Giving the Orders??
It was never a red card Joe. It’s not even a last man challenge. Beaton is to blame. He’s the one that got himself and VAR involved. Celtic would have seen that game out if eleven men stay on the pitch. It feels like a defeat but at least we haven’t lost any more ground on them.
it was always going to be with beathun on var waiting to pounce on the slightest incident the crooked squint eyed cnut ,he cost us before at that place sending off yang only for to be called out by BR who put manners on the pigs ear and stopped tavpens penalty per game , who’s gonna sort him for once and for all this time ?
Scottish football refs the sevco auditions as soon as it went to cheaten Beaton we all new trusty was off through the sevco connection.
l
No more a red card than a blue card …it’s so succinctly said ! Luke Shanley of the Sky Sports had to pause for thought for about 2 seconds in shock at the line from Martin O’Neill..with a glint in his eye ! Then big fake Kris Boyd had to have his obligatory retort about the genius answer …again absolutely shocked to the pit of his more than ample stomach ! Martin knew exactly what he was saying as did everybody else in the sardine tin the SS use as a studio in wee Scotland.
I don’t know when it was exactly but it was in the second half on our left flank at the moment there was two fouls on Celtic players and the foul was given against Nygren. He was acting completely astonished.
Right in the corner of the screen a Hearts player lashed out with his arm flooring a Celtic player.
Anyone ? Red card ???
These two factions will take our title away and hand it to Sevco…
1) – The Cheats with Whistles, Flags and Monitors…
2) – Lucan and Sly !
I’d like to know how officials assume that Kybore would get a shot at goal. His previous highlights would show he needs 3-4 touches then more likely to hit the corner flag. Given that BOTH Scales & Murray were easily within a distance to cover even a semi-competent striker far less a pub players attempt there is no way he would have controlled, faced goal and got a shot to trouble KS.
I would strongly appeal on the basis of being absolutely absurd