Having already overruled erroneous officials on two occasions, yesterday’s Video Assistant Referee could bear no more and declined to confirm the ball struck Joe Newell’s arm before he scored for Hibernian.
Bad though that decision was, it was nothing on the second half incident when a penalty was not awarded to Celtic. Josh Campbell, who was already on a yellow card, shoved Benjamin Nygren off the field with both hands inside the box. It was a stonewall penalty and a similar incident to the foul given against Sebastian Tounekti which led to the Hibs equaliser. Campbell should have received a second yellow, reducing Hibs to 9 men for the second week running.
The VAR team was not prepared to go there. They could do nothing about Celtic’s onside goal. Jamie McGrath’s studs to the shin of Alistair Johnston was equally undeniable. A line was drawn, Celtic were getting no more.
This is how it is going to be between now and the end of the league campaign. I predict Celtic will get a soft penalty in the Scottish Cup Final, “proof” that these things even themselves out. In the league, anything that can be overlooked will be overlooked. You know decisions against Celtic are laughable when even Kris Boyd confirms it.
Celtic dominated the encounter even before the 21st minute red card, but failed to test stand-in keeper Jordan Smith often enough. The return to the starting line-up of Alistair Johnston brought the equaliser. The fullback timed his run and cross perfectly, leaving Daizen Maeda the simplest of tap-ins.
From then until late in the second half, Celtic fans were thinking, “When’s he going to bring on Kelechi?” Our 29-year-old striker is by the length of the M8 between Edinburgh and Glasgow the most talented player in Scotland, who looks like he is playing against schoolboys. Getting the best out of him over the next three games will determine the outcome of the league.
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Anyone but Sevco CSC.
A few observations taking into account earlier contents on this thread:
The best outcome for Celtic today would be for rangers to lose (by any margin) and Hearts to lose by 4 goals. That would move us top of the league without even playing.
Our 2-2 draw with Hearts was contrived by dodgy VAR dealings, without which the game would likely have finished 2-1 to Celtic.
Our 1-2 home defeat to Hibs was contrived by dodgy VAR dealings, without which the game would likely have finished 2-1 to Celtic.
Taking those last two points into consideration, Celtic would now be (ahead of today’s game) 9 points ahead of rangers and 6 points ahead of Hearts, with the same GD but more goals scored. In that scenario we’d win the title with draws in our two remaining home games and a similar result to Hearts next midweek.
On the first comment just made, obviously 🙃… but I’m sure the Scottish VAR magicians could conjure up that outcome of they needed to…
🤣
Just seen the Hearts team their right back is terrible.
Just because VAR and it’s implementation is largely shite, doesn’t mean it hasn’t leveled the cheating playing field – it has; just not enough.
————–
someone said , either here or sentinel –
we have the technology – just not the neutrality.
i think that is it in a nutshell.
dozens of decisions on penalties in particular have went against what the huns think, but had to be ruled correctly.
in turn, and it is nearly in every game, a var or referee decisioon is given that doesnt favour celtic.
there were 3 on sunday, not just 1.
We have the technology just not the neutrality
Think it was BSR?
Great slogan.
Should be recycled copiously.
dessybhoy on 4th May 2026 4:57 pm
Just seen the Hearts team their right back is terrible.
______________________________________
I’ve Just seen the rangers team. Their right back is terrible too. But at least he got on the scoresheet today with that late match winning penalty.
(Oops, did I just let the cat out of the bag?!)
Without VAR….
McGrath wouldn’t have been sent off.
Maeda’s goal wouldn’t have stood.
Hibs goal would have stood.
The Campbell push wouldn’t have been a penalty.
VAR rectified the 1st two.
HTF can any Celtic fan not know that Sevco supporting referees are getting away with less?
BTW – good article, Paul.
Would have preferred it if it was a club statement
One thing we now know is that it is not a question of unconscious bias. The decisions were so overt that they were obviously intentional. Our club remains silent while our title is stolen from under our feet. If the hun wins tonight as I expect, we will see the dark arts in full over the last three games, especially Sunday.
How bad can Scottish refereeing get, Without VAR McGrath would’ve still be on the park, and our 1st goal would have been ruled out. At that point Robertson in the VAR room must have thought to himself, that’s it, rightly or wrongly no more overturning decisions benefitting Celtic. if all the onfield decisions had stood, Hibs would have had 11 men for 90 mins and the score would have finished 1-1 or worse.
The refereeing was shocking in so many ways. What will Celtic do about it? probably damn all .
Kelvinbhoy on 4th May 2026 3:22 pm
——–
“gotten” (sic) alert
There is no guarantee the huns will get a late penalty today. They will only get it if they need it. Fair’s fair.
Back to Basics – Glass Half Full on 4th May 2026 5:03 pm
We have the technology just not the neutrality
Think it was BSR?
Great slogan.
Should be recycled copiously.
————-
a smart caller to the phone ins would use it,
a smart journo would q=use it as a question
the bloggers would get it out there.
the tifo makers would get a giant banner of it, and keep it in place for a whole game.
and martin could use a version of it in a smart interview way
cie
var works just fine because the officials have neutrality, sure.
BOURNESOUPRECIPE on 4TH MAY 2026 3:40 PM
Hoping they both draw
………………..
Hoping they both lose.
I thought when games were being televised it would change as they widnae have time tae edit out all the “mistakes”, didnae happen, as for VAR thought the same but its no the tele or the VAR its the bigots in charge, ffs how can a failed fast tracked ref that UEFA identified get a job on VAR.
now for something completely different,
finally caught up on SAIPAN
the keano and big mick drama film.
the content was good, the story i think mostly accurate, but i couldnt help but feel some sill things –
the bhoy who plays roy is too skinny.
and coogan, who i usually love watching was too small to play mick, and for once his accent was rubbish.
other than that, the story of forever, the worker will be beaten by the guy in charge.
also watched the united way again, superb documentary.
cantona was indeed a genius.
So as this fekked up season continues, we find ourselves focussed on this pair of scummy clubs.
Who’s gonna be celebrating someone like Raskin scoring the winner?
Who’s gonna be celebrating with McInnes if Shankland gets it?
Or will you be sitting with your half and half wee huns/big huns scarf on hoping for a draw?
1000% want a hearts win and at least 2 red cards for Huns plus a few 3 or 4 game injuries for hearts.
Judging by rangers team selection I should get the last of these at least.
My desired outcome is for both to lose tonight!
Just so we are clear, with thos wanting Rangers to win.
Beat Hearts and US on sunday, and they have every chance of getting 2nd more than us.
and that stil brings a champions league qualifier. and a chance to get the big fees.
so , I want them pumped tonight and on sunday.
as soon as they are out of it, we can concentrate even more on winning the last two.
btw, catch up on the clyde Heart Breaker programme from last night.
I was at the game, so have never heard the live Clyde interviews from that day.
The clip with Tommy, my goodness I went all shivers and petted lip, and just went again with thinking about it.
Now another thought, I dd think, the Hertz, 40 years they have waited for this revenge, forty bloody years. Could they do it on goal difference in the ultimate revenge is a dish best served cold moment.
I hopes not.
Dexter,
Iheanacho lost the ball once when he,God forbid,tried to spin around an opponent.On the other hand,Scales,with a load of options,passed directly to an opponent in our half setting up the chaos for their goal.Nygrens pathetic header also involved.
“Cheatin’” will be confused which hun to favour today – quite the dilemma…
286
This is the very definition of a Hate Watch.
Given that the worst overall outcome this season , given how results are going elsewhere in Europe rendering a Rangers triumph in the league likely to mean direct entry to the CL for them , would be Rangers winning the league my preference is ( I think!) small Hearts win or perhaps a 0-0 draw.
Whatever happens we need to win our last three games irrespective of tonight’s result.
Philcool
Now that would be nice!
I tried turning it on but one look at taverniers knee length socks and I’ve switched off
Huns score
Full Fat Version go 1 up
Huns (Glasgow) go in front ….
Long throw, deflected effort 1-0
Not seeing anything from either of these 2 that worries me particularly tbh.
1 0 sevco theyre pummeling Hearts
Hearts have seemed very passive, although I did miss the first ten minutes
Hun kicks through Shankland hun gets the free kick
R2ngers look a level above Hearts so far.
Huns all over hearts …by fk hearts miss Devlin and especially Milne ( their best player )
Hearts kicking it anywhere deflected goal off a calf that spins high out of the reach of the keeper.
Hertz making Sevco look like PSG.