Refereeing Celtic to a different standard – the cups of kindness for our opponents

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The Celtic Star

·22. Mai 2025

Refereeing Celtic to a different standard – the cups of kindness for our opponents

We are all looking forward to the Scottish Cup Final on Saturday at Hampden and the chance of another Celtic treble. Despite our good form and results against Aberdeen this and previous seasons, I don’t think it will be easy and we will need to be at our best. Come on Celtic, let’s do this…

St Johnstone v Celtic, Scottish Cup semi-final at Hampden Park on Sunday 20 April 2025. Photo by Vagelis Georgariou (The Celtic Star)

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Talking of form, it’s interesting to look at the performance of the referees in our cup games this season. I did a little analysis recently which showed that the Champions, the cleanest team in the league, had committed more fouls than our opponents in games this campaign. The only credible reason for this is that the other teams have been less committed against us than in their other games, which is very sporting of them given their lack of possession.

What other reason could there be?

To date, data for the Scottish Cup this season is as follows: –

You can see that, yet again, in all games our opponents fouled less than their average league figures would suggest. Yet again, and by some margin, we committed more fouls in total than the opposition and in no games did we commit fewer. Congratulations to Mr. Scott who penalised us 16 times during the 5-0 semi final win against St. Johnstone. Bizarre.

4th December 2024; Pittodrie, Aberdeen, ; Scottish Premiership , Aberdeen versus Celtic; Don Robertson eventually shows a yellow card. Photo Vagelis Georgariou

It’s down to Mr. Robertson on Saturday, how will he perform? All we can hope it that he and all the officials do their job properly and the post match talk is about the game, not them.

Turning to the Premier Sports League Cup, the data are: –

The final went to extra time I don’t have the actual figures for fouls over 90 minutes. The average figure of 10.6 per game is also not appropriate. If you discount that game, we conceded 37 fouls, compared to an average of 28.2; the figures for the opposition were 29 and 32.6 respectively. So, pretty much average fouls for the other teams but it would appear that we were relatively robust during these three games.

Callum McGregor of Celtic receives a yellow card for referee Kevin Clancy during the Premier Sports Cup Semi-Final match between Celtic and Aberdeen at Hampden Park on November 02, 2024. (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)

The semi-final against Aberdeen is interesting. Mr. Clancy awarded nine fouls and showed them five yellow cards; our figures were 11 fouls and one yellow card. Difficult to explain the inconsistency but it goes some way to explain our high fouls to yellow cards stat.

The final was the only game where we were penalised less than our opponents, which is unsurprising given they were shown eight yellow cards. If you recall, all the hype after the game was about the penalty claim and big Phil’s full inbox; nothing much was reported on the failure of the opposition to control their players.

Celtic celebrations after winning the Premier Sports Cup Final between Celtic and theRangers at Hampden on Sunday 15 December 2024. Photo Vagelis Georgariou (The Celtic Star)

Whether it’s a league or cup match, the reason such stats go under the radar is that we win a lot of games. Also, the post match focus tends to be on VAR which, I think, is improving, due in no small part to Willie Collum making an example of Alan Muir. Whatever the reason, such anomalies need to be aired and addressed. I am just an ordinary supporter and need someone in authority to tell me that my analysis is flawed and there is not a worrying trend here.

Until such times, I’ll do as the media suggests and continue to wallow in my paranoia.

Christopher Wotherspoon

Here’s James Forrest’s Celtic Fan Media Conference from yesterday afternoon…

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