The SFA Head of Refereeing, John Fleming, spoke about the semi-final incident on Sunday, largely to protect his fraternity. Referee Steven McLean made a huge error but Fleming said “I don’t think there was anyone in the ground who would have thought it was 100% a penalty and sending off until they had seen the replay.”
This flies in the face of the Celtic players who claimed for a penalty on the spot, the raised voices from thousands of Celtic supporters, and the shout from the TV commentator. Fleming’s assertion is demonstrably untrue.
He is a man in a position of authority at the SFA. He is allowed to have opinions, or to disagree with any club, but making untrue statements to protect his referees is a wholly inappropriate. If is the standard referees are held to, no wonder we have problems. Having asked for clarification on the refereeing error yesterday, I expect Celtic will be even keener on an explanation for Fleming’s incredulous comment.
I’ve linked here to a Stanford University report on Omission Bias in Sports. The report finds that people are biased to favour inaction (i.e. don’t make a decision) over action (make a decision which will have a profound impact).
It’s an interesting concept which good refereeing guidance will account for. They found that “For all sports, effect [is]stronger if game is close and weak when score is lopsided”.
Omission bias is what we should be looking for in Scottish football. Evidence this video of former referee Kenny Clark, who while still officiating SPL games told an audience that he held a grudge against Celtic’s John Hartson and failed to award him a foul which he saw clearly enough to describe in some detail.
Unfortunately, no journalist has ever been able to contact Mr Clark to ask him about his grudges or omission bias. If this was England, the media would not allow Clark to flaunt omission bias while defending it in others, he would be called to account.
See above, Sunday’s officials greeting each other on the pitch before kick off. Before the dust settles on this one, some of us better learn a new handshake. Those wanting real change at the SFA will have to fight for it.
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DBBIA
Giant Haystacks.
If you are in need of cheering up – You Tube his 45 -Baby I Need You.
…………..The Group Grip Photie……..
There’s a touch of Polis Scoddland chic goin on there, n’est ce-pas?
RoboHun CSC.
Glass 2/3’s………….
That’ll be wee chicks line…………………..
Oh aye.
Hamdump since MON
MON
P 13 W10 L3
WGS
P 6 W6 L0
TM N/A
NFL
P 11 W6 L5
RD
P3 W2 L1
Overall
P33 W24 L9
Glasstwothirds at 14.10
“Maybe we could have other things to help with that:
Dogs running on the pitch, going for the ball. Somebody shouting “next goal’s the winner”. Somebody’s pal turning up after kick-off and getting a game with the team that’s behind.”
That’s pretty much what happened, the ICT defender shouted ‘I’m in nets’ and Muir is saying into his mouthpiece ‘Nets, nets, he’s in nets!’
CQN keeps opening a bet365 page upon opening – will have to stop looking at CQN during the daytime as can’t have betting sites on internet at work.
coolmore mafia
14:32 on
21 April, 2015
CQN keeps opening a bet365 page upon opening – will have to stop looking at CQN during the daytime as can’t have betting sites on internet at work.
———————————————————
It’s a prompt for you to put money on Celtic getting a soft pen tomorrow night…
It’s not really, I am encouraging no one to gamble….honest…
Former Celtic attacker Jo Inge Berget has signed for Hearts on a pre-contract agreement. Will join the club in the summer.
finding his level,guys will be saying we should have kept him after he scores his 3rd goal…..
jamesgang.
I read Thomas Thistlewood ..The International Slavery Museum in Liverpool makes very potent use of his words.
!!Bada Bing!!
14:34 on
21 April, 2015
Former Celtic attacker Jo Inge Berget has signed for Hearts on a pre-contract agreement. Will join the club in the summer.
finding his level,guys will be saying we should have kept him after he scores his 3rd goal…..
————————————————-
3rd goal? I’m willing to say that now. Our hipster rating plummeted when he left…
Macanbeatha
Sorry to hear about your sister.
May eternal light shine upon her soul.
RIP
Thanks to the lads that came back to me re the GAA field in Eastfield.
Does anyone know what happened there?
I am off to try and look it up.
stirlingbhoy
You’ll know big Ian Powe and his family
Paul67 et al
For the benefit of the uninitiated out there let us be clear just exactly what happened on Sunday. Steven McLean et al are not just referees who happen to be masons, they are refereeing a Scottish Cup semi-final, involving Celtic because they are masons. And hand-picked ones, by John Fleming, at that. Referees are the only protected group left in professional football in the EU/UEFA region. Players come and go, Coaches and Managers too. Even owners can come from outwith the Association, but not referees. And, if you do not belong to any one of the Referees Associations, you do not work, period. It is not just in Scotland of course, but it is a situation exacerbated by the prevalence of freemasonry among the referee fraternity. If Celtic actually want to do something about it they should make it clear to John Fleming et al, in secret and with a handshake if necessary, that we will not welcome and we will not expect Stephen McLean and Alan Muir to be involved in a Celtic match from this point on. Or in other words, Never Again.
Pour encourager les autres
BMCUW
Watch what you are saying about Stonehouse, I was in watching the game in the only pub on Sunday and it was a little piece of Ireland for two hours !
multi faith in Lanarkshire CSC
HH
SoT
That’s on my ‘to visit’ list Sir.
HH jamesgang
!!Bada Bing!!
Rubbish. I was the only person on here who rated him! ;-)
LB
Afternoon all!
Can’t agree with (but won’t argue with) those who say Inverness deserve to be in the final…. ref and linesmen at fault etc… but no, I’m not having it.
I hope they lose by a bad/wrong decision, simply because I believe they shouldn’t be there! That’s due to a disastrous decision but also one of their players using his hand to prevent us scoring. I believe it was intentional and I hope they lose by an injustice, and karma can remind Meekins that it was HIS fault.
I wish them no luck at all and although it’ll be unfortunate for the rest of their players and fans, there will be a bitter taste if they win that cup… because Meekins cheated (in my opinion).
I’ll finish by saying I hope the scum officials get booted out the game. Booted hard. In the baws.
HH!
-Tambo-
We have masons on our own board,this issue will never be addressed or go away.
The face of Scottish refereeing.
http://abload.de/thumb/imageplrkv.jpg
I have some relations who moved to Stonehouse in the 1970s. The term ‘mad with the glue’ was created with them in mind.
Still, the fact they settled in Stonehouse may say a lot about the place.
SofTunis I don’t need cheerin’ up, thanks very much.
Glorious day in ole Shangri La, but have managed to get paint all over my Daisy Dukes.
I’ll just need to log onto Pret a Hillbilly.com and get a new pair.
magbuklod kamelyo
13:20 on
21 April, 2015
Hi Starry Plough, no i am not a referee….. am i right in thinking that the SFA don’t ask officials to confirm their team choice – in England and Europe this is common practice.
*why bother….they would only lie about it…like some of the msm do.
Who are the masons on our board?
The last time I saw a media onslaught against Celtic on this level, with ex-players/referees, journalists all telling us we are wrong in suggesting bias, was when Fergus took on Farry.
The rest as they say is history.
But the present Celtic board can’t be compared to Fergus and I suspect there are more Masons on the Celtic board than there were officiating at Hampden on Sunday.
Thetimreaper,
“Kettle” Callaghan, in the 60s only spoke to John Hughes after previously booking him. He didn’t send him off and in the ensuing witch hunt, he was dropped from the list.
In 1965, Hugh Phillips,Wishaw, was the best referee of his day. Not long after awarding Celtic two penalties in the League Cup Final, he retired mid season, which was unusual then as it would be now.
We speculated at the time as to what pressure and/or abuse he would be subjected to.
Years later, there was a guide of the same name conducting tours at Celtic Park. I mentioned this incident to him, but he didn’t respond, yea or nay.
Clogher
I spoke to someone in the dolphin a couple of years ago Nd he said there had been a fall out
I pass the park on a daily basis on the train
Only thing likely to be there are deer
I think there is a small monument still at the park
Says a lot when it has taken little over 24 hours for Celtic to become the bad guys in this farce. If we WERE paranoid and the rules had been applied fairly we would be complaining that Craig Gordon was sent off to even out the Meekings red card. But no, there are two sets of rules.
Another draw back of the toxic ‘old firm’ tag is that neutral supporters know that there are two sets of rules but that we actually benefit from them!
We couldn’t win a throw in off MacLean but it is difficult not to sound paranoid when complaining about the small stuff even though it’s true. But when the most blatant, obvious calls are not made you have to call it out.
We have been cheated but to do nothing about it would be cheating ourselves.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KHgIeoLhWWg
Kenyn Clark’s confession 1min 57 seconds in –
‘I am a servile Hun with no credibility and a perfect example of the ills that have plagued Scottish football since inception, excoriating integrity from the competition and inflating the erroneous expectations of one institution over all others so that it ultimately becomes a single-serving parasite hellbent on a course of self-destruction. I have been – throughout my insular adult life – like every other craven mason in black, truly unsighted.’
Hypocrite. Wanker.
bournesouprecipe
14:57 on 21 April, 2015
The face of Scottish refereeing.
http://abload.de/thumb/imageplrkv.jpg
******
The last time that I saw a face like that was at a standoff at Drumcree.
!!Bada Bing!!
Where did you get the news on Berget? I have told the jambo’s at work and am being rubbished for it.
LB
LB-A text from a mate HH
.
dontbrattbakkinanger
13:38 on 21 April, 2015
On Shortbread last night it was claimed that the referee, his comrade on the touchline and his comrade behind the goal line couldn’t see the handball because ‘Leigh Griffiths blocked their view’.
..
Ooh.. Pythagoras where for art Thou..?
I blame Catholic Stools..
001 of 3.1425CSC
Blantyre Tim,
I think that is the statue to Padraig Pearce.
No doubt there was a fall out…
LB
I too rated berget. Much to the chagrin of some, especially TBB!
Bada
Texts. Mates. Oooooh get you. Mr techno popular.
HH jamesgang
DBBIA.
The original Daisy Dukes are currently getting a weekly airing on Italian cooncil tele .The Inter mad old codger from down the valley is a big fan..Claims it is nearly as good as Lassie. I once phoned him and was told to phone back – ” I am watching Lassie “
I do not really care what the MSM say, they always talkt a load of pish anyway. I don’t really care what ex player say, we all know they are getting paid to tow the party line. But I do care what our so called leaders say and so far it has been next to nothing. FFS Peter grow a pair and call as it is.
magbuklod kamelyo/tontine tim
If referees did state their allegiances St Mirren Park would have to build a new stand.