You know a referee’s had a shocker when an Aberdeen fan calls the Hotline to back Rangers over their official anger.
Bobby Madden was in the eye of a Light Blue storm on Sunday after missing two huge penalty shouts for the Ibrox men as they drew with Dundee United.
First a Ross Graham handball in the box then the United goalscorer pulled back Fashion Sakala as he prepared to tap home with his side trailing 1-0.
Incredibly the first to call was Dons fan Alan McPherson, Cullen, who took aim at Madden and Nick Walsh who disallowed a Christian Ramirez goal for Aberdeen on Saturday.
Alan fired: “Another day of shame for Scottish referees. Madden denying two blatant penalties for Rangers one for handball and another for a shirt pull. Add to that the disallowed Ramirez goal at Motherwell for my team. As an Aberdeen fan I have no love for Rangers and I have complained for years how they get dodgy pens but on this occasion the sheer incompetence of Scottish refs has raised its ugly head again."
Chris Lowe, Yoker, said: “Yet again Rangers are refereed to a different standard with officials terrified of the fallout if they get it wrong against Rangers. Two stonewall penalties denied and a couple of red cards also not seen. We need VAR now. The game is a farce without it officials are handing Celtic this league.”
Gordon Hendry, Ochiltree, said: “As a Rangers supporter I am extremely concerned that refereeing decisions are going to hand Celtic this title. Handballs not given against them, offside goals given for them whilst Rangers get goals disallowed, blatant penalties not given - and as shown on Thursday night by VAR, Rangers won the game fair and square.
“VAR cannot come quick enough to Scotland to stop some of these ridiculous decisions being made by some referees which have handed Celtic a clear advantage.”
It wasn’t just Madden in the firing line. Gers midfielder Ryan Jack too got it in the neck for a late challenge on Dylan Levitt that went unpunished.
Henry Moffat, Stirling, said: “Can someone please explain to me why Ryan Jack’s blatant studs-up tackle at the end of the game wasn’t a red card? I have watched the Rangers players get away with these tackles on around six occasions this season. They have a brass neck complaining about referees.”
On the game John Bruce emailed: “Rangers totally dominated against Dundee United, but once again they came up against a team who raised their game by 500 per cent and played as if their lives depended on the outcome. If these teams played like this every week our Premier League would be a lot more interesting. Instead, there is every likelihood that, in their next game, Dundee United will revert to type and frustrate their fans with yet more boring football and another defeat.”
At Parkhead Giorgos Giakoumakis helped himself to a hat-trick as sloppy Celtic took three points - just - against bottom dogs Dundee.
But Fraser Davison, Glasgow, groaned: “I have never seen a Celtic team so poor in passing, tackling, and keeping possession as the current team. Ange needs to get a grip on this before it costs us dearly. They are so wasteful in possession and seem terrified of taking a shot from outside of the area. If only our passing was as good going forward as it is going towards our own goal. What’s happened to playing the Celtic way?”
Attention now turns back to Europe with Rangers taking a 4-2 lead into their second leg against Borussia Dortmund on Thursday and Celtic looking to overturn a horror 3-1 defeat to Bodo/Glimt in Norway.
Gordon Ashley, Ayr, said: “I see Rangers fans are back to their delusional best after half a tie against the Germans. They have beaten nobody yet and the fact is we’re talking about a team without its star player who were beaten 5-2 by Bayer Leverkusen and were playing in a 90 per cent empty stadium.”
But Gary Stevenson, Newtonhill, said: “Let's get things straight. All Scottish clubs start off their seasons aiming for Europe. The only way this can be achieved is if those clubs gain enough coefficient points to allow participation. Now Celtic supporters are saying that Europe is a hindrance and a distraction from what they are trying to achieve.
"Perhaps that's why over the past decade Celtic's record in Europe is embarrassing. Counter that with Aberdeen striker Christian Ramirez being asked to take down a tweet complimenting Rangers’ performance in Germany. Scottish football is in crisis with a severe lack of money so even if you dislike Rangers you should quietly appreciate the good they are doing for Scotland.”
Elsewhere and Davy Cook, Restalrig, is an unhappy Jambo after Hearts lost to St Johnstone makig it one point from 12. Robbie Neilson sat in the stand to watch the game and Davy said: “Hope Robbie Neilson paid to sit in the stand on Saturday and watched what dross good Hearts fans pay week in week out to watch, beat off bottom and second bottom in a week is unacceptable.”
Finally some positivity and after Perth’s Eve Muirhead and her team-mates Vicky Wright, Jennifer Dodds, Hailey Duff and alternate Mili Smith lifted Winter Olympic gold for Team GB with an emphatic 10-3 win over Japan.
Scott Gowers, Edinburgh, said: “Congratulations to the Scottish curlers who took the only medals for team GB at the Winter Olympics.
I hope that the funding goes to each country based on their success at the games the same way that the funding was awarded after the summer games.”
