Frank McAvennie has claimed that supporters can't be blamed for thinking there is a bias against Celtic from referees.
The Hoops were left stunned last Saturday as they were denied a penalty by referee Nick Walsh when Hearts Michael Smith handled the ball inside the box during their 4-3 win. This was despite the weekend being the introduction of VAR (video assistant referee) to Scottish football, which overturned a Cameron Carter-Vickers foul in the box from no penalty to a spot-kick.
Former Hoops striker McAvennie says the decision was foolish but that it doesn't surprise him, as there has been in his opinion, an agenda against Celtic since his playing days in the 80 and 90s. He told Football Insider when asked if fans are right to think that referees are biased towards the Parkhead club: “Yes. It has happened for years. When I played, the gaffer used to say we will get nothing off the referee. It is going way back. There is no way it is a coincidence.
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“It does not matter that VAR is in. Against Hearts he [Smith] stopped the ball with his hand and we got nothing, and that is with VAR. It is just not right.
“I get how the referees can miss things but not the people watching it. The whole world saw it was a penalty. It is just a laughing stock.
“I just find it strange that we have not had any, especially with the amount of attacking play that they have got. There would be one or two.“
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