GLASGOW, SCOTLAND - SEPTEMBER 16: Referee Grant Irvine points to the spot to award Celtic a penalty following a VAR check during a cinch Premiership match between Celtic and Dundee at Celtic Park, on September 16, 2023, in Glasgow, Scotland. (Photo by Ross MacDonald/SNS Group via Getty Images)
Grant Irvine was very selective on VAR duty today as Celtic lost 2-1 at home to Hibs.
Tomorrow he will revert to Mr Irvine, a PE Teacher at Boclair Academy. A colleague of Nick Walsh as they both work on the education and fitness of the Murray Park starlets.
Celtic played poorly today. There were a few busts of impressive play but overall they were shapeless and just hoping for a break around goal.
However good or bad you play the Laws of the Game don’t change.
If an opponent pulls you then grabs your shirt as you try to reach a corner it is a penalty.
If a defender heads a corner behind his own goal another corner is given.
Referee Matthew MacDermid opted not to apply the Laws of the Game. On VAR duty Irvine did likewise.
SELECTIVE VIEWING FOR GRANT IRVINE
When Celtic were awarded a 72nd minute corner Auston Trusty found Jamie McGrath hanging onto his arm. With McDermid showing selective interest in these incidents Trusty raised his right arm to knock.
After a VAR check from eagle-eyed Irvine Trusty was red carded,
When the corner was finally taken Irvine was less keen on intervening.
Jack Iredale grabbed at Scales, as the defender ran to meet the ball Iredale clearly pulled at Scales’ jersey, impacting his run at the ball.
Warren O’Hara headed the ball back out of play.
Referee MacDermid ignored the pull and jersey tug, he ignored the Hibs player heading the ball out for another corner.
After a VAR Review Irvine decided that a Hibs player had been fouled outside the penalty box. Every Hibs player was inside the penalty box for the corner.
No penalty given to Celtic.
Not holding long enough was the excuse.
‘Foul outside the box’ was shown on the screens relating to the penalty incident.
No corner given.
Theres a lot going on here.
You’d think they get at least one of them correct, even just by luck. https://t.co/e8ED9XU3P8— Lint (@Zeshankenzo) February 22, 2026
MacDermid and Irvine are in the emerging group of Willie Collum clones breaking into top level refereeing.
They don’t like football, they like to disrupt the game, deliver strange decisions and become the centre of attention. Just like Willie, modelled on Hugh Dallas.
CELTIC ON MUTE
Celtic of course are quite happy with whatever refereeing decisions go against them.
That has been the case since July2012 when they were neutered by the SFA.
Officials know that anything goes in Celtic matches without any repercussions.
John Beaton, Bobby Madden and David Dickinson have taken full advantage.
Under Michael Nicholson Celtic haven’t even fired out a ‘surprised and disappointed’ statement while asking the SFA for clarification.
That template was last used in January 2019 following a Beaton masterclass at Ibrox.
Absolute disgraceful “refereeing”. Even more of a disgrace that Celtic just meekly accepts it. Is there no way resolution 12 can be requested as freedom of information? It is in the public interest after all.
People need to see the bigger picture,the refs and the officials are only part of the problem,infact a miniscule.
You want to blame people then blame the SCUMBAGS and LEECHES running our club before going elsewhere for excuses.
We are shite we got lucky over the last couple of seasons winning the league,we didn’t win those titles by being superior to other teams,it’s just they there worse shite teams in the league than ourselves.
We have now seriously been found out,especially by Hearts a nickel&dime club paying nickel&dime wages to players who are outplaying our own players who are on 5 or 10 times the wages of Hearts players.
The league has gone now and we contributed to that immensely by buying players on cheap,buying twobob players to get into the big guys playground on the cheap,leaving more money in pot for the LEECHES to bleed dry,just how did that work DD the great big money guy,so called businessman,my ARSE.
No doubt though the ticket renewals fake news stories will put out there by the lackies for the club with the warmongering shenanigans that there are others piling up at the stadium to buy season books for those that threatening boycotts,hoping they will pull back on this and renew.
Get this board to F**K nothing but piranhas the lot of them,not a decent person amongst them,there isn’t anyone of them you could trust,infact if anybody was to shake hands with them,I woud advise them to count their fingers after it.
This board are lower a snakes belly,they have even outdone King the CHISLER from sevco with their SHENANIGANS,and I didn’t think that was possible,but hey we laughed at sevco for,people going on about the banter years,now it’s sevco’s turn to have their banter years and watch us disintegrate.
Editor: It is possible to highlight and call out bad officiating and also the incompetence/ sabotage of the club from within. Both are related.
The board will continue to do fuck all about it
Totally agree madman but our defence is roughly shipping two goals a game let’s be honest hope I am wrong but can’t see us winning the title as for trusty corner to us no danger where the position we are in then stupidly hammers the guys arm.
They will not call it out as the Board are all compromised. They are a disgrace.
Unfortunately, our club is finished. This is the end game.
That was some rant Stephen aka madman, or was it, let’s see was it The Joker or Scud Missile or anyone of several different monikers over the past few years.
Keep it up, you’lll get rid of all that bile & hatred at some point sooner or later.
Drinks all round with Lucan no doubt after the game…
Monday now and only five more days until another £17,000 is stolen from Celtic FC !