Experienced whistler Nick Walsh has been appointed as referee for Celtic’s trip to Kilmarnock on Sunday and the artificial surface at Rugby Park will now stay for another season…
The Hoops travel to Ayrshire for their final domestic challenge before November’s international break is upon us as Scotland gear up to face Croatia and Poland in UEFA Nations League matches.
Brendan Rodgers side could not enter Rugby Park in finer form, thumping Aberdeen last Saturday in the Premier Sports League Cup semi-final at Hampden which was followed by Celtic’s best result in the Champions League for over 12 years.
Bundesliga outfit RB Leipzig were stunned by Celtic’s dynamic, technical skill on display on Tuesday evening as the Hoops secured three wins in a row at Paradise in Europe’s elite club competition for the first time since 2007.
Kilmarnock are in 8th spot in Scottish Premiership
Meanwhile, Derek McInnes’ Kilmarnock currently sit eighth in the Scottish Premiership having played 11 games. Despite leading 2-0 at Dens Park last Sunday, Ziyad Larkeche’s 90+4 winner completed an impressive comeback for Tony Docherty’s Dundee. For Killie, it summed up their season – up and down. Yet to string a run of consistent results together, it is the exact reason why McInnes’ men languish in the bottom six following the conclusion of the first round of fixtures.
They did however beat theRangers in their most recent home match and Derek McInnes and his side would like nothing better than taking the three points off Celtic too.
Nick Walsh will referee the Kilmarnock v Celtic game on Sunday
Nick Walsh, who will take charge of Sunday afternoon’s clash between Kilmarnock and Celtic was the man in the middle for the second Premier Sports League Cup semi-final encounter played out between theRangers and Motherwell over last weekend.
At Clydesdale House manning VAR duties is Don Robertson. Robertson is in Greece tonight having been appointed by UEFA to referee Pavos v Astana in the Europa Conference League. Andrew McWilliams will act as AVAR. Supporting Walsh on field is AR1 David McGeachie and AR2 Jonathan Bell.
Kick off for Sunday’s match at Rugby Park is 3:00pm, and will be shown live on Sky Sports Football. As ever, Celtic supporters outside Britain and Ireland can watch the match on CelticTV.
Plastic surface at Rugby Park staying for another season
Meanwhile those hoping that this might be one of Celtic’s last trip to Rugby Park to play on that dreadful artificial surface are going to be disappointed. If Kilmarnock fail to make the top six then it might even have been the last trip there to play on the plastic pitch, barring a Scottish Cup visit.
However we are going to be playing on the plastic next season too as Kilmarnock have now decided to push back lifting the surface and replacing it with grass for another season. Younger readers might be surprised to learn that Rugby Park used to be regarded as one of the best playing surfaces in Scottish football.
The decision to push lifting the plastic back for another season is due to delays in the building of the new training complex. So we’ll have another season at least moaning about this dreadful surface. Anyone remember Brendan saying in his first time as Celtic manager than he’d never seen a good game of football played on a plastic pitch? He did the last time we were there on the night we won the league back in May. More of that on Sunday please Bhoys!
Conor Spence
Know Your History – Celtic in the Thirties out now!
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![Celtic in the Thirties]()
- Celtic in the Thirties, Volumes One & Two by Matt Corr – out now on Celtic Star Books.
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![Celtic in the Thirties]()
- Celtic in the Thirties, Volumes One & Two by Matt Corr – out now on Celtic Star Books.
Matt Corr’s outstanding new books – Celtic in the Thirties, Volumes One & Two, are out now. The quality of the research, writing, imagery and the books themselves, so beautifully presented, make this a perfect gift for Celtic supporters who enjoy reading the inside stories of Celtic. This is the story of a remarkable decade for Celtic and indeed for the world and you will be engrossed by every page in these remarkable books, both available now via Celtic Star Books. Matt will be happy to sign your copies.
Over 50% of the books have already been sold and are today on their way to Celtic supporter around the world. The remaining copies aren’t likely to last that long. Make sure you get your copies, you can order HERE.
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— Celtic View (@CelticView) November 5, 2024
Totally different game due to that horrible surface?
Biggest fear regarding it, is the potential injuries that can be picked up, by playing upon it.
We have sustained enough of them in the past, so a potential concern this weekend, especially when so many tired limbs heading into the match?
CCV has had issues in the past regarding the surface, along with kuhn and his hamstring, when subbed off against Leipzig, are possibly concerns this weekend, with that horrible surface?
So another testing game for Rodgers to contend with, potentially with players welfare in mind also?
The sooner such surfaces are banned within Scottish football the better, especially with the growing amount of games that players are expected to be involved within these days?
Having a surface that potentially causes muscle injuries, remains a shame of the Scottish FA in regards to players welfare?
Get the 3 points in any manner possible will remain our target this weekend, to complete a wonderful period between the international breaks?
Omg it’s the same for both teams get over it celtic should have more than enough to see off a very up and down killie side the last time we were there was 5.0 nothing to do with the surface