As we head into Scottish Cup final weekend, clubs not named Celtic and Rangers were likely left laughing this week after former Ibrox defender John Brown criticized SFA officials during matchday 38 in the Premiership.
The Full Scottish
Served by Brian P. Dunleavy
On Rangers TV, Brown, part of the nine-in-a-row ’Gers squad in the 1990s, called the officials working the Rangers-Hibs match “corrupt” after they opted not to go to VAR when Nicolas Raskin appeared to score to make it 2-0 in the first half. On-field referee Nick Walsh didn’t signal for the goal and he ultimately wasn’t called to review the decision by VAR. The match ended at 2-2.
After the match, acting Rangers bench boss Barry Ferguson called the decision “baffling.”
Brown, however, was more direct at halftime, describing it as “corrupt [and] a disgrace” before adding, “It’s the worst decision I’ve seen in all the years I’ve been in football.”
Rangers TV co-commentator Tom Miller tried to salvage the comment by saying, “Well, I’m not sure we can actually say that. Those are not necessarily the views of Rangers Football Club.”
But it may be too late. The SFA has announced it intends to launch an investigation into the matter.
And there is precedent. In 2019, former Celtic defender and Celtic TV commentator Tom Boyd referenced images of referee John Beaton drinking in a “Rangers pub” when he criticized a decision by the whistleblower during a Glasgow derby.
Boyd and Celtic, ultimately, weren’t sanctioned, though Boyd did step away from commentary for a time.
The reason other clubs are laughing? For them, the idea that officials are biased against cash cows Celtic and Rangers is absurd.
And they’re probably right. There are poor refereeing decisions are as ubiquitous in Scottish football as moaning about them—yes, even in the birthplace of the sport. Some of the moaning is justified, but Celtic and Rangers are hardly targeted by officials.
Corrupt? Hardly. Incompetent? Perhaps.