MOTHERWELL, SCOTLAND - FEBRUARY 11: Referee Steven McLean comes over to check the VAR monitor for a potential red card for Motherwell's Lukas Fadinger during a William Hill Premiership match between Motherwell and Rangers at Fir Park, on February 11, 2026, in Motherwell, Scotland. (Photo by Craig Foy/SNS Group via Getty Images)
Jens Berthel Askou has called out Steven McLean over his performance in last night’s draw with the 2012 Ibrox Tribute Act.
The Motherwell boss is a newcomer to Scottish football but a fast learner in the ways that the SFA appoint match officials.
At Ibrox in December his side were denied a late penalty from David Dickinson, a decision raised in the pre-match coverage.
McLean’s younger brother Brian is a former Rangers youth and reserve team player.
He was so staunch that he played twice for the ‘Northern Ireland’ u-21 team before finding out that he ineligible.
THE RISE OF MCLEAN THROUGH THE REFEREEING RANKS
McLean really came to the fore in 2015 with the Josh Meekings handball against Celtic in a Scottish Cup semi-final.
That decision should have brought his rise up the ladder to a dramatic halt.
Eleven years later he is still influencing matches, delivering a trademark performance last night.
There was no Tavpen moment but Nico Raskin was a protected specie while Lukas Fadinger was red carded after prompting from John Beaton on VAR duty. The same combo that got Auston Trusty sent off at Tynecastle recently.
‘He could’ve given them a yellow card so much earlier.’
Motherwell manager Jens Berthel Askou feels that the match officials let Rangers get away with cynical fouling in the two sides’ 1-1 draw tonight at Fir Park.
Sponsored by BeMe your Ai twin for your business.… pic.twitter.com/l5sKlNocNM
— PLZ Soccer (@PLZSoccer) February 11, 2026
The Motherwell boss said:
I was surprised that they didn’t get more yellow cards in the first half, and I don’t think it’s good enough.
It’s an absolutely top game, probably the best game you can get in Scottish football right now, and you get to play that cynical?
I think it’s a shame for the game, that’s the reason why there weren’t more goals in the game.
We didn’t let frustration take over, we stuck in it and adjusted a few things at half-time and knew there would be chances in the second half.
Then Lukas gets sent off, and it’s our first red card.
Right now it’s only Falkirk who haven’t had a red card, and we were the second last to get it even though we play with extreme intensity and aggressiveness.
After hinting at some of the grubby secrets inside Scottish football Askou should prepare himself for some incredible decisions going against his team in the coming weeks.
Any analysis of last night’s opponents would have highlighted certain patterns in decisions taken.
Dickinson has been to the fore in recent months but McLean has been on the circuit for over a decade.
McLean is a member of the Glasgow Referee Association which has strong links to the overpowering Lanarkshire branch.
In a smokescreen for the horrific decisions inflicted on clubs every week Willie Collum hosts the monthly VAR Review.
Collum is only interested in projecting his image as a real good football guy. Twenty five minutes once a month is nowhere near enough time to cover the honest mistakes in Scottish football.
Motherwell shout for a penalty v Rangers.
No VAR intervention. https://t.co/Yh2wX0g2L4 pic.twitter.com/MPKlXTGrGM
— Lint (@Zeshankenzo) February 12, 2026
McLean, Mason and Rangers fan.
— colin boyle (@colinboyle12) February 12, 2026
Website refresh looks good.
It’s Willie Collum who should be “called out” on this and all the other “strange” decisions concerning one team
Every match it’s a other manager calling out the ref against the huns. That is a pattern in itself.
If he thinks thats tough wait till next season when he is manager of Celtic F.C.1888 hopefully its our chairman is thebone seeking answer thats the reason supporters are not happy they should be writing to sfa about bias decision against Celtic and not others same fouls but difirent calls im sure they must have a load of video to prove all four dallas on var Beaton,McClean,Dickinson have been instrumental in changing games with poor or biased calls
It is time for Clubs should come together to call this stuff out. It is designed to help one club at the expense of all others, but is anti-Celtic and sectarian at its core. There is no way you will get a more honest league structure. There is a cancer growing AGAIN at the core of the SFA which needs excised.
What comes first on Sunday
The red card or the penalty ?
Once again the Scottish refereeing fraternity wacel themselves with pro Ranjurs decisions. Taverner should have been booked at least once in the match. Obviously a handball but no action taken by McLean or Beaton. Now Killie, Hearts and Motherwell have complained about decisions not going in their favour. And it’s only going to get worse as the pressure on The Tribute Act intensifies. Hail, hail
The Blatant Bias in Scotland in favour of The Establishment Club is literally Beyond a Joke.
Only in Scotland! ???????
This is all part of the overall Scottish Professional Football business plan to falsely maintain and create a “title race” the clubs are all aware of this and buy into….the press do their bit by highlighting controversies to keep fans excited and report false outrage by the management of the so called disadvantaged club(s) …..its all done to keep interest and the money turn over …Scottish football has no interest In Sporting Integrity …..that would kill the game up here