Andy Walker has claimed that neither Celtic nor theRangers would give away goals to one another the way in which Partick Thistle were allowed to score from in their Scottish Cup Fifth Round tie at Ibrox last weekend. This comes after Mick Beale decided to let the Jags run free and equalise following a shocking lack of sportsmanship from Mailk Tillman.
After an injury to one of Ian McCall’s players, the away team took a throw-in to kick the ball back to the home side after the stoppage, yet Tillman nicked the ball away and ran towards the goal to eventually put the ball into the net, leaving the Thistle team and management visibly aggravated and upset by the American’s actions.
So, in an act of sportsmanship, Mick Beale instructed his team to allow the opposing team to equalise from the centre circle to level eveything up. It was a decision that was met with disdain and disgust by the Ibrox crowd and saw a certain phrase trending online which related to theRangers manager. Not that they would have reacted any differently – they have form for it if we’re being frank.
Alas, ex-Celtic and Motherwell striker, Walker has come out and said that if such an incident had happened during a Glasgow Derby match, neither of the big two in Scottish football would have allowed the same concession to be given under the circumstances. Speaking to the Go Radio Football Show, the Sky Sports Scotland commentator said: “If that had happened in a Celtic v theRangers game and I’d stolen someone’s throw-in and we’d scored a goal, there is not a chance either me or any of teammates would have given theRangers a goal.
“Not a chance. And I don’t think if it was at Parkhead, the stadium would have allowed it. If it was at Ibrox, the stadium wouldn’t allow (the)Rangers to do it.”
He even admitted that he might not have given the decision to let Partick Thistle score if he had been the man in charge of the dugout instead of Beale on that particular occasion. He added: “It depends on the scoreline, you might do it if the game’s level. I don’t think I’d do it if I was behind. I don’t think (the)Rangers would have done it if they were behind at the weekend.”
Paul Gillespie
