Back in November, Celtic Chairman Ian Bankier stated that Scottish refs are a huge concern for Celtic at the clubs Annual Gers Meeting. Since then, no clubs has benefited more from awful officiating than Celtic. There’s absolutely no irony in that on my part, I don’t believe the referees are a bunch of cheating bastards like they hit out with their masonic conspiracies. I honestly believe that’s what happens when you put human beings under pressure like that. They’re implying publicly that the refs are cheating bastards and were the reason they never won the 10 last year which was clearly deflection from the real issue.
Ever since that statement from Bankier, the referees have gotten worse than ever before and I honestly don’t think that’s coincidence. They’ve scored numerous offside goals and numerous sides now nearly every week have had a good few penalties denied against them which the score was either level at those points or Celtic were only winning by a goal. The refs look terrified to give game changing decisions rightly against them.
That brings me to my next point. Rangers got a penalty before Christmas against Dundee United at Ibrox which was arguably the most stonewall penalty you’ll see all season. It’s not even a debate at all, it’s as clear as day. Yet John Hartson, an ex professional I might add who works in the media sarcastically in his mind hit out with “there’s a shock!” on twitter. In our minds, it’s clear what he’s doing. He’s playing to the gallery full of deranged conspiracy theorists who’ve believed there’s a conspiracy in favour of Rangers for decades. Hartson tweeting that out is basically him saying that even if refs correctly give Rangers game changing decisions, he’ll play to the gallery and still imply publicly that the refs a cheat which is clearly more pressure deliberately being piled on the officials.
Funnily enough the day after that United game, Celtic won the league cup against Hibs which of course had controversy. Near the end of the match, Hibs should’ve had a stonewall penalty awarded to them which would’ve definitely took the game to Extra Time but John Beaton didn’t give it, despite being in a very good position. John Beaton who they’ve referred to as “Brother Beaton” is someone who’s been at the top of their list when it comes to their masonic referee conspiracies ever since he refereed an Old Firm match in 2018 which Rangers won fair and square yet he was a victim of death threats following the match from Celtic supporters. In that moment at Hampden back in December, there’s no doubt in my mind he completely bottled it.
Last week at Tannadice, Bobby Madden and the other officials had two calls to make which they failed to do when you clearly see they were in good positions to spot them, especially the first penalty incident where it hits the United defenders arm. This is a referee who’s been called all sorts by them but in particular “Brother Madden”. This is simply because he went on that Open Goal, a show which Andy Halliday appears on. For how mental that sounds, that’s the honest truth.
The pressure they’ve piled isn’t just having affects on their games but it’s had an affect on our games recently too because of people like John Hartson, Chris Sutton and other Celtic cheerleaders because of decisions that happened against them in the past when they played, especially the 2003 League Cup final which still scars Hartson clearly. At Pittodrie we were shite in the 1-1 draw and I’ll never deny that. However, in the build up to the football returning after the winter break, we kept hearing about penalties Rangers were receiving and that Rangers didn’t have a player sent off for a while then of course Kevin Clancy sent off Ryan Kent, wrongfully I might add.
We had to hear all last season that Rangers benefited without fans being there, there was an operation to stop the 10 with Rangers and the SFA, Celtic were poor, you name it. I actually think the ones who benefited the most without crowds being in attendance were the officials. Were they perfect ? Of course they weren’t. But they had the balls to give game changing decisions against them such as penalties awarded to the opposition even when pressured in the media because the mentalists within the Celtic support who believe in all those conspiracies being brought together by people like Hartson weren’t there to get on the refs back.
Once again I’d like to highlight I’ll never call these officials cheats, that’s their type of victim behaviour. However, for the last month now at least I’m certainly convinced that their intimidation tactics towards refs for the last 3 months is paying off. It’s saved them at least 12 points and cost us 4. The sooner we get VAR into Scottish football even despite the howler that’s happened the other night against Dortmund the better. Notice how Celtic perform in Europe when they aren’t playing with scared refs, refs who have balls, will make game changing decisions without fear and of course have VAR to back them up ? I’m not buying into the bullshit that they were prioritising the league and that’s why the went out. It was only over a week ago that their striker Giakoumakis said they could win that competition. They went out to a side who operate on a wage bill similar to Motherwell.
I’ll never believe the referees are biased. They’re human beings and I feel sorry for them. I think Bankier played a blinder at their AGM and it really has made these refs terrified which isn’t what we need in such a huge season. It’s gave them an even bigger chance at the 40 million jackpot, not because Ange is a miracle worker which was drivel spewed by Hugh Keevins last night on SSB even though he’s spent 25 million in two transfer windows, that’s nearly the amount Gerrard spent in 3 years.
