I suspect that there were very few on Planet Fitba when they heard this news.
In the post-match presser, Steve Clarke referred to the sending off as “a joke”.
However, it was job done for Sevco on the night.
Once more, the basket of assets benefited from one of those entirely honest officiating errors.
In a parallel universe, I’m sure that it is all evening itself out.
Of course, anyone with the facility of reason would agree that having your keeper being sent off early on in a game changes the nature of the contest.
With the sending off now deemed to have been unjust then the spotlight must now be on the conduct of the fatally wounded Glen Kamara.
When I saw the match I thought he had gone down like the dying swan.
Before Daniel Bachmann was shown the red card Killie should also have had a penalty.
Another “joke”…
I have good friends who are Dons and I fear for them at Pittodrie in the cup against Sevco.
Now, that is not because I think that Derek McInnes cannot put a team out to beat them on a level playing field.
For the avoidance of doubt, there is a real material reason why Celtic and a growing number of other SPFL clubs want foreign officials brought into the top flight next season.
Tom Boyd deployed the word “neutral” and I think that was correct in the context of the discussion.
As I have stated here before, if a public service had a similar glaring lack of diversity then urgent corrective action would be taken.
I recall, back in the “Dougie Dougie” days, that journalist Graham Spiers stated that “I don’t think we do corruption well in this country”.
It was an appallingly smug comment with more than a hint that foreigners are lesser than the incorruptible Brits.
It was, of course, pish.
The bowling club complexion of the top flight officials is something that has to be addressed.
One day we might look back and conclude that it was the officiating equivalent of the dark ages.
What might also be pointed out is that during the period when changed was being demanded the Fitba Fourth Estate was on the side of the authorities.
Dark ages indeed…
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The real problem is, what happens now that the CO has made the ruling? That’s 2 games in past 2 weeks where the outcome of match has been determined by honest mistakes (Dons and Killie). The mistakes made and the calls not made did the job. Real question is why these 2 referees are not demoted to lower leagues for rest of season? Where is their punishment? There’s only 2 choices in the equation; the refs are incompetent or they are biased! I guess really there could be a 3rd option, both of these. But either way these refs should not be refereeing in top flight (minimum).
If anyone expected the appointment of Maxwell as CEO at the SFA would make a difference for the good of Scottish football they will have been sadly disappointed.
The more things change, the more they stay the same, or, as with our match officials get even worse.
With guys like Fleming and Bryson pulling the strings and McCrae openly opining an ‘ anyone but Celtic’ line to trophy winners what else do we expect?
Freemasonry, the last hiding place for many of Scotland’s inadequates, has a tight grip on Scottish football, from the match officials to the executive.
The interview process for appointments probably gets no further than a handshake.
Does the SFA staffing roster reflect the race, sex, colour, religion of the Scottish populace?
Of course asking this question of the SFA executive will get no response, just as asking questions as to how many drug tests, if any, of SPFL players were carried out in the last 6 months.
The last time I saw published figures, several years ago, showed that you had more chance of winning the lottery than being tested for drugs.
Just another example of SFA transparency.
Go to any Sevco chatroom and it will be full of complaints that the referees, SFA and the compliance officer are biased against them. So you’d think they would be the first people to jump at the chance of neutral referees from other jurisdictions…
Steve Clarke has done more in the last week to highlight the sectarianism and racism in Scottish football than the media has done in the last 50 years.
Listen to the away support at Hamilton tomorrow. Will they curtail their song book, no chance, they will lift the level of hatred to another level.
Will Gerrard and King have their earplugs in, denying all knowledge of the songbook, whilst maintaining that they have no problem?
Another red card rescinded, yet no punishment for Kamara’s simulation?
How can that be?
With Kingco and the SFA all in, its shit or bust for the Gerrard experiment.
Failure to stop 8 IAR will leave the door wide open on the road to 10 IAR.
I’ m actually wondering that when Celtic hit 50 titles, will we claim to be the most successful
club in the world?
Perhaps the European success of Real Madrid, Barcelona, Inter Milan, AC Milan, Juventus, Ajax, Bayern Munich will continue to play second best to the Ibrox club.
Am I alone in thinking the criteria will soon change when the Hoops hit 55?
The stone wall red card offence was a lunging challenge from Candeias, even Steven Craigan said red.
The challenge was never once mentioned in print, TV or radio, every outlet, silence.
This was so Candeias was free to play at pittodrie.
All stops are being pulled to try and secure a trophy for the tribute act, anyone forgot Celtic playing at Murrayfield, just because?
At a time Robertson was moaning of trial by Sportcence, this was non trial by level 5 influence.
Our authorities failed to punish a club cheating judged by the highest court in the land yet people trust those same authorities to deal evenly with strict liability, I mean really?
The thing is tho – what good does that do Kilmarnock OK the red card was chopped but is there a replay ? No Is there anything Killie can do ? Sevco are through so job done ref !! That was always the aim Sevco through at all costs
Now we know why Sevco signed Lafferty. To coach others to fall down at every opportunity and set up honest mistakes.
That is all very well Phil except it was a stone wall red card in my opinion. The keeper elbowed the guy on the head. The fact is that the SFA/compliance officer are incompetent.
Keepers are ALLOWED to put their arms up and what goes up must come down!
The compliance officer has no part in this ,it was an appeal & is heard by a panel of 3 people .
Lhads, have to agree with Corrib on this. IMO too, it was a red card. He elbowed on the way up, not coming down. Others obviously disagree. The big difference is, had this happened to a Celtic player it would not have been a red.
Great article again Phil, thanks
As the great John Pilger refers to them……”Vichy journalists”. I think it very apt!
Your analogy to the dark ages is also particularly appropriate. it is a telling predicament this narrowing of focus and consideration is bringing.
Are we really going to allow ourselves to be forced into another era of information control such as was held by the iron grip of the ‘authorities’ during that time?? considering we have the entirety of all human knowledge available at our fingertips??? Although this source is increasingly being targeted to ensure the official stories from those in authority are the only stories we here. Think algorithmic search engine control and it will get you started as to where we are heading.
A step up the career ladder is all but guaranteed for the privates in the corps by continuing to produce the same level of quality scrutineering!!
I truly hope you are right and that we will look back on this period of history and think, ‘phew, thank fook we never went down that road and allowed it to happen’.
Keep shining the light.
Cheers
B
The thing is tho – what good does that do Kilmarnock OK the red card was chopped but is there a replay ? No Is there anything Killie can do ? Sevco are through so job done ref !! That was always the aim Sevco through at all costs