We don’t pass comment on what’s going on elsewhere very much – but given the ferocity of opinions from the other side of town two weeks ago when a Hibs player was sent off at Ibrox – we have to point out the blatant double standards after Saturday’s round of fixtures.

Ryan Porteous was sent off for Hibernian for what’s been branded a leg breaker by many boys in blue.

Fast forward to Joe Aribo against Hearts [check the image below] and nothing is done about it, little is said and we all need to move on.

There’s no consistent narrative. The tribalism that exists means a support base who were convinced Porteous should have been sent off are now defending this lunge.

The standard of refereeing has always been a major concern in Scottish football. The Ibrox club have had very little in the way of red cards for their players domestically – while they regularly get sent off in Europe.

The rules must be applied and referees who don’t act on blatant red card decisions must be reprimanded.

When things end up tight at the top, these decisions could have a major impact on the season. Yes, it would be great to not have to rely on referees doing their job properly, but during Celtic’s rebuild, they don’t need so much luck as the rules to be applied.

Instances this season of Celtic players being mowed down blatantly have saw referees play on at times or only get out the yellow. It’s about time the standard of refereeing was addressed before you give them a new toy in the shape of VAR.

9 COMMENTS

  1. ‘Ahhh, but his straight legged challenge, Joe just managed to scuff the ball, with his studds before connecting with the players shinpad, both players were going for the ball legs up. It would be a travisty to even book Joe.’

    Doesn’t even justify a talking to. No action taken. A extract of the Spfl referees rulebook when the players wearing blue and red socks at any pitch.

  2. Both could have been yellow or red. Just as much as Motherwell had a 150% penalty denied. VAR will certainly mean these incidents will be picked up. I think as supporters, we have the beauty of replays etc which make our decisions simple. The referee and his assistants have a split second decision to make, they may be unsighted or just at the wrong angle. VAR will pick these up but when they do, supporters will be even more frustrated when their centre forwards big toe nail was in an offside postition. Footbal…l you just have to love it for an argument

  3. There is no honest mistakes in Scottish football, only institutional bias. We all know the Ibrox club is a new 1-trophy-utterly-meaningless pub club, 50 titles behind Famous, however we also know that along with the thousands of supporters who transferred their support to the new club in 2012 so too did the refereeing establishment of orange blood. So let us dispense with the surprise when decisions are weighed in favour of the tribute act just as they were pre-2012. Still, we can rest in the factual knowledge that the war is long since over, and the rebels won. 51/ 1 – Mind The Gap, Sevco.

  4. Tony, you need to watch the video clip of the so called Well penalty.
    A well fan posted a video which clearly shows the Well defender handling the ball.

  5. Tony, “The referee and his assistants have a split second decision to make”, I would agree that you are correct in that statement however, does it not concern you how many of these instant decisions appear to favour one team in particular?

  6. Tony, I think you need to stop kidding yourself about the VAR being the be all and end all regarding bad calls and “honest mistakes”!
    It may pick it up, but this doesn’t mean the ref will change his decisions!
    This will be no different to a group of hasbeen clowns sitting reviewing reported incidents to decide on retroactive punishments.
    They will still decide what they want. The VAR will only give the ref an electronic scapegoat and good excuse to blame it when it suits them!

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