“Can Categorically Say” – Sam Nicholson Makes Fresh Celtic Penalty Claim

The release of the VAR audio from Celtic’s dramatic win at Fir Park has reignited debate around one of the defining moments of the Premiership title race.

The conversation between referee John Beaton, VAR Andrew Dallas and assistant VAR Sean Carr shows all three officials ultimately agreed that Sam Nicholson had handled the ball and that a penalty should be awarded to Celtic.

Dallas can be heard telling Beaton that the ball had “definitely” struck Nicholson’s hand, while both VAR officials agreed the arm was in an unnatural position. After reviewing the footage, Beaton awarded the penalty that Kelechi Iheanacho converted in stoppage time.

However, Nicholson remains adamant the ball never touched his hand.

Speaking about the incident, the Motherwell winger could not have been clearer in his view.

“I can categorically say, it never hit my hand,” Nicholson said: (The Terrace).

The 30-year-old explained that he initially believed the officials were checking for a possible foul rather than a handball offence.

“But if I’m honest, I thought we’d got a free kick on me because I jumped up first.

“That’s where my confusion was because I’ve seen them given loads in the middle of the pitch if someone jumps up and the other person bumps into them.”

Nicholson also revealed his surprise when VAR became involved.

“When the ref said at first he was checking for a handball, I was like, ‘Oh, right, I never handballed it, so it’s fine.’

“Then when it was given, I was obviously confused.”

The newly released audio paints a very different picture from the officials’ perspective. Dallas repeatedly states that contact has been made with the hand, while Carr agrees with both the contact and arm position assessments before recommending an on-field review.

Despite hearing the conversations and seeing the fallout that followed, Nicholson’s position has not changed.

“The weird thing is, still images can make it look like that, but football isn’t played in still images.

“It categorically did not hit my hand.”

The former Hearts winger also pointed to the wider debate surrounding the incident.

“We were told that VAR was for something that was clear and obvious, if someone had missed something that was obvious, but even now people are still questioning it.

“The only person that could actually tell everyone what happened is me.”

With the audio now public, supporters can hear exactly why Beaton, Dallas and Carr arrived at their decision. Whether that settles the debate is another matter entirely, with Nicholson still insisting months later that the ball never touched his hand.

Yet the audio released this week makes Nicholson’s view harder to agree with what the officials believed they saw. Dallas was certain there was contact, Carr agreed, and after watching the footage himself, Beaton came to the same conclusion. Three different officials reviewed the incident and all arrived at the same decision.

Nicholson is entitled to his opinion, but the audio shows the penalty was not given without reason. The VAR team believed the ball hit his hand, believed the arm position was an offence, and Beaton agreed after seeing the replays. Supporters will still debate it, but the recording makes it clear there was a clear thought process behind the decision.