Willie Collum though is reportedly going to say that Nick Walsh got it right on the Trusty tap because he was following the laws of the game, as they currently stand, to the letter. We have been posting this since the day after the game, here it is again.
Walsh judged that Trusty’s force was negligible and therefore he correctly issued a yellow card. Willie Collum apparently is going to agree with this on his VAR Review show, which will set off more moon howling from the never defeated always cheated mob across the city.
On Ralston’s penalty incident – again the rule book should be followed by those who are paid know what it currently states, and that is what Walsh did in NOT issuing a second yellow card to Ralston. As Bobby Madden explained after the game, the rules on this changes about two years ago.
Match official Willie Collum arrives at the stadium prior to the Scottish Premiership match between Celtic and theRangers at Celtic Park on May 11, 2024. (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)
Before that the handball concession of a penalty would have been punished by a yellow card but the ‘double punishment’ aspect meant that the this was changed. Walsh simply followed the rules as they stand at the moment, not before the change was made globally. Michael Stewart, usually a pundit to admire, repeatedly talked about Ralston not getting a second yellow if the referee thought it was a penalty (Stewart didn’t).
Walsh’s decision on the penalty was also a judgement call and it’s fair to say that if he thinks that this is a grey area in the Scottish game then you could understand why. The penalty Celtic got against Kilmarnock at Rugby Park was meant to have brought about a change in the interpretation of what should and should not be a penalty and had Celtic got a penalty like the semi-final one on Sunday against Kilmarnock then the reaction would have been off the scale.
Referee Nick Walsh
shows a yellow card to Arne Engels of Celtic during the Premier Sports Cup Semi Final match between Celtic and theRangers at Hampden Park on November 02, 2025. (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)
So Collum is going to back Walsh but it’s likely that both officials are quietly a little unsure and referees must surely dread these incidents happening at all.
In conclusion, by following the rules and applying his own judgement where it was required Nick Walsh was correct to book Trusty, not to book Ralston for a second time and he opted to give the penalty to theRangers – probably as lawyers would say, on the balance of probabilities. That’s fine but what is always asked afterwards is that there needs to be consistency.
The big takeaway is that theRangers weren’t wronged by Walsh or indeed by Andrew Dallas on VAR. Indeed they did theRangers a huge favour in not pointing to the spot when Hatate was barged over while in possession of the ball.
Celtic will now face St Mirren on Sunday 14 December at Hampden Park in the Premier Sports Cup Final.
CELTIC STAR BOOKS OFFFER – BUY ONE GET ONE FREE!
Order David Potter’s final Celtic book, ‘Celtic in the Eighties’ and you’ll receive a copy that has been personally signed by legendary Celtic captain Danny McGrain. Plus you’ll also receive a complementary copy of Willie Fernie – Putting on the Style! Order Celtic in the Eighties at Celtic Star Books and we’ll do the rest. Please note that postage will only be charged on one book but you’ll receive both!
-
- Celtic in the Eighties by David Potter, personally signed by Danny McGrain
-
- Willie Fernie – Putting on the Style by David Potter
And also did them a favour by not red carding a player for a reckless ankle tackle.
And also did them a favour by pulling play back with Celtic on the attack.
And also did them a favour by not blowing for blatant fouls against our players when the opposition were clearly able to “leave afters with impunity. As they’ve done for many seasons.
So yes, it will read on one hand, to some folk, that there were a couple of big calls that went in our favour. But in reality that game was infuriating to watch at times as there were 2 different applications of the law being applied depending on which team was on the ball. And the R*ngurz Ref Review will not cover any of it.