GLASGOW, SCOTLAND - APRIL 07: Referee John Beaton and Willie Collum during a cinch Premiership match between Rangers and Celtic at Ibrox Stadium, on April 07, 2024, in Glasgow, Scotland. (Photo by Craig Williamson/SNS Group via Getty Images)
Three days before the end of the SPFL Premiership season Willie Collum is holding back on publishing the match officials for Matchday 38.
Willie Collum’s officials have been heavily criticised in recent weeks with his biggest names getting the most criticism.
Normally the SFA website publishes the names of the weekend officials on a Tuesday.
Yesterday there was no movement on the SFA website.
So far this season Collum has selected 15 different referees to take charge of Premiership matches.
There is a clear elite. Those that have been in charge of 20 or more matches which includes the four that have taken charge of the Glasgow Derby this season.
A NIGHTMARE CREATED BY COLLUM AND CRONYISM
After tonight’s fixtures the stats are as follows.
Nick Walsh will be on 24, Don Robertson is on 22, Steven McLean 22, David Dickinson 21 and John Beaton 20.
Beaton will referee Celtic tonight, Walsh will be on duty at Tynecastle.
It is very very rare for a referee to be in charge of the same team for two matches running.
With no news coming out of the SFA it must be a possibility that Beaton or Walsh will referee a potential title decider on Saturday.
The headache could be removed if Hearts win the SPFL title tonight.
If that doesn’t happen Collum has a very big decision to make.
Not helped by the deplorable performances of Robertson and Dickinson during Celtic’s win away to Hibs.
Neither has been selected for the two rounds of fixtures since.
Hearts went into meltdown over the performance of Steven McLean against Motherwell on Saturday night.
If three of the leading referees are out of bounds for Saturday Collum will have to double up on Walsh or Beaton.
The next referee in the table is Matthew MacDermid, someone mired in controversy wherever he goes. Collum has tried to fast-track MacDermid but it is clear that he is miles out of his depth in the top fixtures.
The whole issue highlights the mess that Collum has got into in a job where he is out of his depth.
Bringing in a non Scot as Head of Refereeing is essential as well as publishing the teams that referees support.
That is aradical step but one that has to be taken to end the cronyism that has got the Scottish game into its current state.
It’ll be interesting to see who he gives it to…
Maybe Clancy – But that would upset Sevco so that’s a no no…
If it’s Dickinson then Hearts will be Champions if they don’t make it tonight then he will see to it on Saturday !