Withdraw Ibrox safety licence as they withdraw moral hazard

What happens if you provide cover for a fan who threw shards of glass onto the Ibrox goalmouth before Joe Hart plays in goal?  It happens again.  When this occurred two years ago, Newco told Celtic their CCTV system did not cover the area the shards were thrown from.  The perpetrator was not identified and faced no consequences.  There is no moral hazard to this behaviour.

Matt O’Riley was the one who had consequences to deal with, when a bottle was thrown at him on Sunday from the same area.  Missiles were also thrown at Celtic staff in the technical area from the Ibrox main stand, echoing a similar incident two years ago.

You and I have seen enough to know that if you get any 50,000 people together you will get several hundred idiots.  Every club has idiot supporters.  What’s different is that some clubs and their supporters inhibit criminal behaviour by a combination of CCTV, self-policing, and fellow supporters upholding standards.  Others do not take the steps to prevent criminal behaviour from becoming a regular feature.

Celtic, their players, staff, directors and supporters (when 700 were last admitted to Ibrox) are unprotected at Ibrox by the home club, police of football authorities.  Newco even went as far as to inform broadcasters they cannot guarantee the safety of Celtic players working at the stadium – a tacit approval of this behaviour.

Two years ago, when CCTV was not produced, Police Scotland should have objected to the stadium licence and Glascow City Council should have withdrawn it.  But this is Scotland, this is Glasgow, so nothing will be done.

If it is established that Sunday’s referee, John Beaton, was not shown the camera angle of Alistair Johnston getting a touch on the ball before contact was made with Meryl Streep-Silva, the SFA’s entire VAR system should be wiped out and a fresh start made.

Beaton awarded a penalty, which brought the home club back into the game and ultimately earned them a point.  A penalty can be awarded if “the defending player gets the ball first and the officials deem the tackle to be careless, reckless or has excess force.”  None of these conditions were met.

We’ll await to see what the SFA say, but if VAR is withholding crucial video from the referee, sack every one of them without delay.

The family of longtime CQN’er, Ron Bacardi have been in touch to let me know Ron  – Brian McGinley – passed away.  Brian’s funeral takes place at 11.00 this Friday, 12 April, in Penrith.  His friends can watch the service here, with login details:

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Take care, all.