Kevin Clancy has been appointed as the referee for this weekend’s Glasgow Derby between Celtic and Rangers at Celtic Park. The lawyer has refereed the fixture on three occasions before with the results reflecting poorly upon the Hoops.
Clancy will be assisted by David McGeachie and Ross Macleod. John Beaton is on fourth official duty. Meanwhile, Nick Walsh is on VAR at Clydesdale House along with Daniel McFarlane acting as AVAR. Walsh was the referee when the sides met in the League Cup Final, which Celtic won 2-1 back in February. On that day Clancy was the fourth official.
However, on Saturday, he will again return to the limelight of refereeing the game himself. Although, his record doesn’t make good reading for Celtic fans. Clancy was appointed to referee the final Glasgow Derby game in May 2019 with interim boss Neil Lennon taking his side to Ibrox. A disjointed Celtic side fell behind to an early goal from James Tavernier but while 1-0 up, Jon Flanagan elbowed Scott Brown to the face resulting in just a yellow card. Scott Arfield scored to make it 2-0 in the dead rubber fixture.
The following season, Clancy was again given the whistle for the third encounter between the sides that season, Celtic having won 2-0 at Ibrox and 1-0 at Hampden in the League Cup Final. This game saw Lennon’s side create a number of chances in the opening twenty five minutes before Ryan Christie had a penalty saved by Allan McGregor. Ryan Kent scored at the other end before a deflected Odsonne Edouard goal restored parity. Rangers scored through Katic from a corner, that Clancy overruled his Assistant on despite it appearing to to connect with a blue jersey before going out. Alfredo Morelos was sent off in the closing stages.
In Clancy’s most recent appearance as referee in the Glasgow Derby, Rangers won 1-0 through a Filipe Helander header. Celtic dominated the game but the sucker-punch from Gerrard’s Rangers sealed the three points.
Overall, in the three fixtures, Clancy has given one penalty (Celtic), one red card (Rangers), fourteen yellow cards (seven each) as Rangers emerged victorious on all occasions.
Hopefully, for Ange Postecoglou’s Celtic, the referee’s performance will have no impact upon the result as the Australian’s brand of football can shine through and blow the nearest challengers away.
