Earlier in the season, Don Robertson – who first came to prominence in 2017 when he allowed Ross County’s Alex Schalk to con him into awarding a spot-kick against us – allowed a Dundee Utd player to escape with a yellow card after an appalling tackle on David Turnbull.
The decision drew widespread fury from Celtic fans and near disbelief from the commentariat.
The SFA reviewed the decision.
A three-man panel changed the yellow to a straight red.
The question as to why Robertson thought it was a yellow in the first place was never properly explored. There were those of us who said, at the time, that it was a staggering decision which basically made it open season on Celtic players.
If you could get away with that, what couldn’t you get away with?
For the second time in this season, Robertson has flashed a yellow for an assault on a Celtic player when most watchers thought it should have been a red.
The SFA is reviewing the decision and are almost certain to change it. Celtic should be gravely concerned about this, and they should be gravely concerned any time this official manages one of our games.
If this decision is over-turned, Robertson will have proved himself both incompetent and unable to control games, and let’s face it, that would be the most generous interpretation of this. Another way to say it is that he cannot be trusted, either because of said incompetence or because of bias or something else.
It’s pretty bad either way.
Having Robertson referee our matches puts our players at risk, and that is crystal clear.
We have to lobby on this one, aggressively and even publicly if necessary. We should not shy away from us, or the consequences are likely to be severe for another of our players.
Don Robertson simply cannot be trusted.
The safety of our footballers is at stake here.
Should be concerned WHOEVER referees us, James. HH
It must be done publicly. The club needs to show the fans it understands our strength of feeling on this. All we ever hear is of back-channel discussions that are never mentioned again beyond the initial report. This needs called out so all and sundry can see we won’t be taking this pish anymore.
Of course, it won’t be, and the scrotal vacuums that occupy the CP boardroom will cower in the corner zs usual…
This is the kind of joined up stuff we need reporting. I was not aware that the ref from Saturday was the one who allowed that shocker of a tackle on Turnbull. Somebody has to be recording this somewhere as this is definitely more than paranoid Celtic fans taking the hump. Our players are getting booted off the pitch and the refs are allowing it to happen.
Is this man’s standards the same across the board, or is it just Celtic getting it.
Celtic F.C should make a statement about this so called Ref.
Ange has already called him out…….the club should do same but have my doubts.
What about asking We Barry if his Alloa team,would have been given the same instructions if it had been the love of his life Sevco.
What do I think, ?there are young people observing my post,so I will not say anything.
You wouldn’t but a Buckaroo in the same field as a Thoroughbred
Put
You wouldn’t put a Buckaroo in the same field as a Thoroughbred
You wouldn’t put a Buckaroo in the same field as a Thoroughbred.
It will not change a thing corrupt to the core the lot of them. We need officials from england or wales to ref Scottish football
Why don’t you ever mention Freemasonry, James?
It is after all the biggest problem not oniy in the Scottish game but throughout Scottish society.
So why don’t you ever mention how important it is in these diabolical refereeing decisions where opposing players are allowed to physically break the bones of Celtic players at will while the disgraceful Freemasons on the Celtic board sit quietly back and let it all happen without even one word of complaint to the SFA, or anywhere else?
Celtic FC, need to make a stand now against the blatant tide of “stop Celtic at all cost” and the collective who want at a certain team to win the premier league.
In what other professional sport / league is the standard of officiating a target of continual criticism – and without any signs of wanting to improve standards?
Yes, match officials can have a bad day in rugby, cricket, tennis, NFL, or whatever – but that seems to be the exception.
In my own lifetime I am aware of constant criticism of officiating in the top Scottish football league for the last 30+ years. And it’s not just been a Celtic / [The] Rangers issue – although they do get most attention in Scotland.
The SFA has proven over the years that it has no intention of improving match officiating. Whilst the SFA exists and control the match officials, nothing is ever going to significantly improve.
…and you just know, that if/when VAR is forced on the SFA, they will ensure that there will be ‘unique’ Scottish version implemented – and will keep frustrating the fans.
James you may not want to say it if you know it….Don Robertson trains rangers youths during the week how any organisation (SFA UEFA or EVEN FIFA) could allow this is beyond beleif.