BOBBY MADDEN has been confirmed as the referee for Sunday’s Glasgow Derby at Ibrox between the Rangers and Celtic. He will be assisted by Graeme Stewart and Frank Connor while Willie Collum has been named as the fourth official.
It doesn’t really matter who referees this game, we are assured of a certain level of impartiality that is unique to Scottish football. The only point worth noting is that the referee that Steven Gerrard has complained about – Willie Collum – has not been given the whistle.
Collum refereed Celtic’s match on Sunday and failed to see a foul on Christopher Jullien before awarding Hearts a dodgy penalty, so he’d have been unlikely to have provided any advantage to Celtic as the only ‘non-Rangers man’ who could have been given the job by the SFA.
Talking of the SFA, how are they getting on investigating Tom Boyd after his remarks about referee John Beaton, who failed to see a clear and obvious handball in the Celtic v Dunfermline League Cup tie two weeks ago so did not award Celtic a penalty.
St Mirren never got a penalty at the weekend either, but that was against the Rangers and they are trying to stop 9IAR while going for 55, so that’s understandable.
Earlier today the former Rangers defender/ goalkeeper Graham Roberts waded into the 9IAR / Going for 55 debate today, claiming that Aberdeen roll over to Celtic but give 100% against the successor club to the one he used to play for.
Roberts was on TalkSport this morning talking about the big Glasgow Derby and reckons that Aberdeen lie down to Celtic. You wonder what Tom English and co will have to say about that! Perhaps an entire programme on BBC Sportsound this evening?
“Steven Gerrard has done an amazing job. He has turned the club around. But the games they struggle in is when they go to Aberdeen. They have to win those games because when Celtic go there, Aberdeen roll over and let them win,” Roberts said on TalkSport as reported by Scottish Sun.
Chris Sutton immediately tweeted: “But I thought Rangers were a class above Aberdeen?” a reference to Steven Gerrard’s naive remarks after the opening day draw at Pittodrie last season.
But I thought Rangers were a class above Aberdeen?? https://t.co/ZNXWAsQiCm
— Chris Sutton (@chris_sutton73) August 27, 2019
But do Aberdeen actually take it easy against Celtic and try harder against the Rangers? Maybe not according to Celtic Nation on Twitter who hd some photographic evidence to back up his contention that Aberdeen have given everything to try to beat the Hoops – and Celtic players have the bruises to prove it!
So Graham Roberts reckons Aberdeen "roll over" against Celtic and give 100% against Sevco ????
It's left me wondering… How many fractured eye sockets or busted mouths have Sevco sustained lately versus Aberdeen? pic.twitter.com/MrBauzYXSA
— Celtic Nation (@CelticNation67) August 27, 2019
Both Glasgow sides have crucial Europa League deciders this week as they look to secure their places in the Group sections. Celtic go to Stockholm with a decent 2-0 lead to protect while Legia Warsaw come to Ibrox after the sides played out a goalless draw last week.
UEFA have reduced the capacity at Ibrox by 3000 due to their racist and sectarian singing at Ibrox in the first round of qualifiers against tiny St Joseph’s. There have been two further rounds played before this decision was announced so these will be anxious days for the Ibrox bosses as they wait to discover if there are going to be further sanctions imposed.
Also on The Celtic Star…
Celtic 6 Rangers 2 – Nineteen years since Henrik’s Perfect ‘Demolition Derby’ Goal…see HERE.
9IAR – ‘All the pressure is on Rangers,’ Tommy Coyne tips Celtic to ‘go on to win the title’see HERE.
