GLASGOW, SCOTLAND - DECEMBER 15: Celtic's Liam Scales (R) pulls down Rangers' Vaclav Cerny at the edge of the penalty box during the Premier Sports Cup Final between Celtic and Rangers at Hampden Park, on December 15, 2024, in Glasgow, Scotland. (Photo by Craig Williamson/SNS Group via Getty Images)
It is now eleven days since Celtic won the 2024 League Cup final, yet the fallout from the penalty that never was rumbles on.
In all my years of following Scottish football and Celtic, I have never seen such a ridiculous and over the top reaction to one decision.
What intrigues me most about all of this is the assumption that had the Ibrox side been given this penalty, that they would have gone on and won the League Cup.
Oh, we all know how accurate Tav-Pen is with his spot kicks, but there is no guarantee he would have scored the penalty, had it been given.
No guarantee that they would have claimed the trophy they so desperately wanted to keep their noses in front in the trophies won count.
Which on their side is bullshit, as we all know.
The whole of this argument seems to be predicated on the fact that if the penalty had been given, they would have won the cup.
They feel that because they were robbed of this “stonewall” penalty, they were therefore robbed of the League Cup.
There is no credence given to the fact that Celtic keeper Kasper Schmeichel could have actually saved this penalty they were denied.
The idea of this happening just doesn’t enter their thought process.
So, let’s get straight here.
The Ibrox side are going to war with the SFA and SPFL.
They’re doing it because they believe their referees stole the League Cup from them.
In doing so, they stole their right to continue claiming they’re the most successful club in world football.
A claim the rest of the footballing world finds as ridiculous as it is laughable.
Celtic winning the League Cup, and legitimately going ahead in the trophies won count, has forced them into a climb down of epic proportions.
Epic to them, highly amusing to everyone else.
So, to deflect from their embarrassment, they are using the penalty incident to get their fanbase to focus their attention elsewhere.
And whether they know it or not, they might just get what they’re wishing for.
Now, as Celtic fans, we’ve been crying out for refereeing reform in the Scottish game for decades.
Myself, Joe McHugh and James Forrest have discussed it in depth in our podcasts.
Even in our latest podcast, we discussed infamous incidents where referees screwed us down through the years.
We’ve discussed how spineless our board is when it comes to refereeing reform.
Joe has gone in hard on Michael Nicholson and his spineless approach to refereeing, and the injustices we’ve been subjected to.
But it looks like we needn’t worry anymore.
The Ibrox side are taking the fight to the SFA, and I for one, welcome it.
I’m delighted they want reform in the Scottish game.
In this morning’s Record, Gavin Berry has a story on the R*s Fan Advisory Board demanding an independent refereeing review.
Well, it’s about time, I say.
I’m ecstatic that they’re demanding such a review.
It proves we Celtic fans are not paranoid conspiracy theorists.
Here’s what they had to say
Bravo!
And one assumes when they state Scottish football deserves better, they include Celtic in that?
I never thought I’d see the day.
The Ibrox side fighting the good fight when it comes to refereeing reform in Scotland.
At Ibrox, they believe that we have inept officials in our game.
One wonders if they thought Andrew Dallas was inept when he awarded their side 4 penalties in a game against St. Mirren in February 2019?
One wonders if those very same fans thought John Beaton was inept.
You know?
When he allowed Alfredo Morelos to remain on the field of play in the derby game in December 2018?
I’m sure they had the chance to ask him themselves when they met him at the Crown Bar in Bellshill later that day.
I’m also sure they thought Bobby Tait was inept when he added 5 minutes of injury time to allow Kilmarnock to score in a crucial, must win, league game in 1998?
Whoops!
I wonder how inept they thought Hugh Dallas was when he awarded them a penalty at Celtic Park in May 1999?
You remember the one?
It wasn’t awarded for footballing reasons, let’s put it that way.
What about good old Jim McCluskey?
I wonder how inept they thought he was when he told Alan Stubbs that he’d never get a penalty at Ibrox as long as he was refereeing?
I have one teeny weeny bit of advice for the Ibrox Fan Advisory Board.
Be very, very careful what you wish for.
The SFA tends to appease your club, and because they do, they might just accede to what you wish for.
Imagine a game in Scotland where referees declared their allegiances?
Well blow me down, the Lanarkshire referees association might end up having to lay off a few of their members.
Because there just wouldn’t be enough games for them to referee.
Whatever would poor John Beaton do?
Never to referee a game again involving his favourite side?
I’m sure trips to Perth to referee St. Johnstone v Ross County would keep his passion for the game burning?
I have to say, I’m loving the continued fall out from the penalty that never was.
It might just be the catalyst for the change we so badly need in the Scottish game.
Of course, these particular demands have absolutely nothing to do with the fact the Ibrox side is now officially Simply the second best.
Nothing to do with the fact there is now a large painting and decorating invoice winging it’s way to Ibrox.
Nothing at all to do with the fact that a certain lie about survival is now meaningless.
Dead and buried, like the old club.
Nope, nothing at all to do with any of that.
It’s simply because the Ibrox side and their fans feel that a “full, independent examination of the processes and governance of Scottish refereeing” is badly needed.
Well, fair play to them.
Are you watching Michael Nicholson?
You could learn a thing or two from our noisy negihbours.
They do make lots of noise don’t they?
Sort of like my backside after eating copious amounts of Brussels sprouts with my Christmas day dinner.
Unlike our revered CEO, no sound, no picture, no nothing.
Ah well, you remember the old song?
“You say it best, when you say nothing at all.”
Clearly that has paid off for Mr. Nicholson.
He and Celtic should back the Ibrox side all the way on their demands.
Who’d have thought one dodgy penalty decision would bring us to here?
Interesting times indeed….
