Last night, I watched the BBC Sports Scotland highlights show, which featured our club’s match against Hearts. It was good to see there were no ex-Ibrox players on the second sofa. Of course, they still had Stephen Thompson anchoring the show, but he’s usually accompanied by at least one more, and last night—on the surface, anyway—he wasn’t.
Now, I sometimes have to scold myself for my memory because, of course, there was an Ibrox sympathiser there: Steven Craigan. And his comments on the Celtic game were absolutely lamentable.
We don’t ask much of the BBC, mostly because we know better. We know their proclivities, so we can’t ask for too much. But their knack for finding people whose defining characteristic is an anti-Celtic bias is astonishing.
Is it too much to ask for impartiality? Or at least for pundits professional enough to give valuable insights and thoughtful judgement? Apparently, it is, and as a consequence you get folks like Craigan talking the rubbish he did last night.
Craigan had no choice but to admit that both penalties were correctly assessed by VAR. Much as he and others may have not wanted to, he had to acknowledge it.
Yet, he never thinks to question why neither decision was given correctly by the referee in the first place, which is scandalous, as I said in last night’s match report. He admits it only because he has no other option after the replays showed this clearly.
There’s no room for him to wriggle out of either call, in other words.
But that doesn’t stop him from trying to find some.
This is where his utter lack of objectivity comes to the fore. He says Liam Scales is “lucky,” even though Scales is so close to Shankland when he heads the ball that he has no choice in what happens next. Scales’ arms aren’t outstretched, they’re not in the so-called “unnatural position,” and the ball doesn’t even hit his arm—it hits his shoulder! So, it’s not handball. Scales has done nothing wrong, yet Craigan thinks he’s lucky to get away with it?
That’s a ridiculous take.
It gets even worse when he scrutinises the penalty given against Hearts.
Penrice puts both hands out to stop the cross, and the ball strikes both. It’s as clear a spot-kick as you’ll ever see—a textbook case of a player’s arms in an unnatural position to stop the ball. There’s nothing dubious about it. It’s an absolute stonewaller. And what does Craigan say? That the Hearts player can consider himself unlucky.
That’s not even remotely close to a balanced or unbiased assessment. It’s ridiculous. Scales, who does nothing wrong, is “lucky” to escape. Penrice, who practically throws up a netball block, is the victim of a “close call”? For God’s sake.
What is it with the BBC? Where do they find these people?
Do they go out of their way to ensure there’s always an anti-Celtic voice, even in a game where we won comfortably without even getting out of second gear? Neither decision is particularly close when you watch the replays, although the referee saw both differently—and that’s where the questions should be asked.
But Craigan’s claims that Scales was lucky and Penrice was unlucky? Utterly ludicrous. There’s no justification for that when you watch the footage.
This is the BBC at its finest. This is what they do. The idea of having someone neutral and objective to comment on our games is apparently too much to ask. We’re not asking for someone who’s going to toe the line for Celtic. We just want a fair shake. All we want are commentators who can at least appear impartial for the duration of a segment.
But anyone who’s ever listened to Craigan commentate on one of our games knows he’s not that person. He’s notoriously anti-Celtic in his commentary and comments. He rarely has anything positive to say about us, and his pro-Ibrox obsequiousness is legendary.
Short of their usual tactic of putting an ex-Ibrox player on the sofa, this is what they’ve done instead—they’ve found one of the most notorious anti-Celtic voices you can get in the commentary box who didn’t play for the Ibrox club, and I guess that’s their version of “balance.”
This sums up perfectly why not a single Celtic supporter trusts a word that comes out of the BBC.
And it’s why they’ll never get a licence fee from me till the day I die. Fuck them.
There was a time when the BBC coverage of Celtic games was reasonably good but that went out of the window a long time ago. The only time that I can listen to them nowadays is when the coverage does not involve Celtic or the rangers.
Too top heavy with biased huns and ex huns for me.
That’s it !!! No more license fee from me I refuse to pay the bbc to give these sectarians a wage
Don’t complain about it just don’t watch it,I have not watched that programme for a number of years.BBC have always had a leaning towards anything Unionist.only good thing is we know every time we win the pain gets harder for them to bear HH
Oh it’s (BBC Scotland and BBC Radio Scotland) prime time viewing and listening when Celtic hammer Sevco Charlie so you’ve missed out on plenty schadenfreude joyous times For Celtic Supporters over the years…
Trust me you can taste the painful lumps in their throats every time this happens and I actually fuckin LOVVVVVVVVE it big time !
Definitely listen in and watch the next time we grub Sevco – It’s an utter joy to behold for sure !
BBC Scotland appears so obviously anti Catholic, never mind anti Celtic. Just look at who presents their programmes, not just football. Seems to be changing slightly recently, dont need to mention names, but still well short of representative. I have posted on this topic before, James, but until we all e mail people in power then nothing much will change. Cmon folks, this can be changed
Not only is it biased but it looks like a 1970’s show from some small country in Eastern Europe. Amateur hour doesn’t even begin to describe it. I reckon school kids doing a video project could make something better with decent graphics, a presenter who is skilled reading from the autocue, guests who can speak clearly and who have an idea how football is played and an understanding of the rules. Oh, and a theme tune that is not from 1950.
Craigan is a Norn Irn Unionist Praddy – Flay the Flog!
Perfect analyst for BBC Scatland Footbaw.
A parcel of rogues in a station.
I’ve had, often cross, words with my wife over the BBC and not only about BBC Scotland’s recruitment policy of employing ex-huns only. I tried writing to them with only denial and deflection in any response. Coverage of events in Gaza was the last straw, referring to what is Zionist expansionism and slaughter as “war” was a bridge too far. So, the Licence Fee was dropped this year and it won’t be replaced and tho’ a bit reluctantly my wife now sees where I’m coming from and I’m glad of that. I still occasionally watch stuff there but it’s less and less. I’d intended writing to them and telling them to ‘cease and desist’ sending a signal to my house for a laugh and to see their response but I just thought “fukk it!”
The Billy Boys Channel as we al know i just love watching their zombie pain on their faces and there voices stuttering when they say celtic and i only hope there pain gets worse and worse and down goes their 2nd club at liebrox another zombie meltdown trying to say its still oldco ranjurs..I LOVE WATCHING THEM ALL IN PAIN THE SCUMBAGS OF CHEATING LIEBROX EBT..SIDELETTERS..RATS
Absolutely spot on and where did they get ref from lodge grayskull
Celtic’s penalty was a stonewaller and shouldn’t have needed VAR. The Scales incident and others like it seem to be marginal calls which, in the past, referees might have let go for ‘benefit of the doubt’ or ‘no clear view’ only to get pelters in the press following TV replays. I wonder if, now, they’re more inclined to give a penalty, safe in the knowledge that they can change their minds if VAR shows it wasn’t one.
Bbc is like scottish industries steel works shipyards police and lawlords it is when roman catholics came over here from Ireland the hatred in the west of Scotland was scandalous church of Scotland told there people to rebuff them for fear of losing there power no jobs worth anything was to had what school did you go to was not to see how well you done but your religion and graigon was brought up in a country that is still anti Catholic we have protesters all over uk to treat illegal immigrants fairly yet we still have anti Catholic orange walks we are the a disgrace to tell any country to treat there better bbc especially scottish are racist but in Scotland it’s allowed the still have the Irish as the clown in programmes so Celtic football club is and what it stands for is reminder that they are a dying breed but institutes like bbc lawlords are holding on but it’s over they are painting themselves into a corner S.N.P. has gone never to return is a big statement but it will take years but it’s happing
It’s fair to say we are all aware of the Biased Broadcasting Corporation’s pundit preferences! Your articles and our contributors comments, have encapsulated this,many times!!
Aside from the amateurish hour that some of us watch, can we comment on some of the manager post match interviews.
I’ve never been a fan of C Levein ( especially since he tried to justify a 4-6-0 formation,) and should have subsequently been drummed out of football for good!!!
By god he’s a depressing character! He makes the Rev I M Jolly, look like Hilarious Harry from Happy Valley.
Let us just enjoy the programme when we get the odd appearance from wee Donnelly and like minded pals !
I had to watch it back twice to make sure I wasn’t losing it but the biggest scandal of the programme was they didn’t review Luke McCowans goal!!
That is an absolute disgrace
All we can describe them as Pablo67 is…
HORRIFIC HORRIBLE HURTING HATEFUL HUNS !!!
And it’s an absolutely fuckin beautiful thing to watch unfold at BBC Scotland on a weekly basis !