Familiar playbook dragging Celtic into a row nothing to do with us

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·22 de junio de 2025

Familiar playbook dragging Celtic into a row nothing to do with us

What was it Pete Towshend wrote? Meet the new boss, same as the old boss.

If the new owners at Ibrox are in control, the playbook looks like the same as the old tome.

After the SFA issued theRangers with a notice of complaint after John Brown called a referee corrupt, and then clarified he meant exactly what he said, the latest Ibrox club was fined £3000.

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With incredulity came a statement – and to save you time I’ll paraphrase the content of theRangers public riposte – ‘We think we should be able to say what we want on our own TV channel, and we got Lee Wallace to trawl hours of other clubs’ media to find incriminating evidence of other teams questioning the integrity of match officials.’

Former Celtic captains Tom Boyd and Roy Aitken carry the Scottish Premiership trophy up Celtic Way to Celtic Park as the Celtic team arrive. Celtic v Aberdeen, Scottish Premiership, Celtic Park, – 13 May 2018 Photo Stuart Wallace/Shutterstock

They probably should have just said one team really. In fact, they should have just said Tom Boyd, I doubt that the former Celtic captain would even mind. He’d probably quite enjoy it actually!

It seems It’s a conspiracy against one club, and all others complicit, but especially one, and the government, and possibly Kneecap. Well perhaps not the last one but certainly the SFA.

18/06/2025. London, Kneecap’s Liam Og OhAnnaidh, Westminster Magistrates. DJ Provai of Kneecap arrives at Westminster Magistrates Court with bandmate Liam Og O hAnnaidh. Liam Og O hAnnaidh was charged with a terror offence after allegedly displaying a flag in support of proscribed organisation Hezbollah on 21 November 2024 at the O2 Forum in Kentish Town, London. Photo Martyn Wheatley/xi-Images via IMAGO.

Then on Friday the Scottish FA responded and the miaowing in the statement in response to the Ibrox club’s effort is simply delicious:

‘We note Rangers’ response to the determination of a recent independent Judicial Panel Tribunal. In the interests of accuracy, we wish to address some of the misleading comments contained therein:

‘The sanction imposed by an independent panel was entirely in keeping with the application of the rules. The most recent and relevant example of a similar breach, the sanction imposed on Richard Foster of Motherwell FC for comments of a similar nature in the media, attests to that.’

‘Furthermore, to address the comments regarding “rationale behind differing outcomes”, we wish to point to the fact that investigations were undertaken in previous cases outlined and that the Compliance Officers of the time saw fit to issue a censure by way of warning letter for potential breaches deemed insufficiently serious to be progressed to a Notice of Complaint.’

‘This system of proportionality has been adopted since the inception of the Judicial Panel Protocol in 2011. Indeed, such discretion was exercised last season when the Compliance Officer wrote to the club to warn of the future conduct of players following matters involving Vaclav Cerny, Dujon Sterling and Mohamed Diomande.’

‘We also note that (the)Rangers intend to contact the association to seek clarity on the Judicial Panel Protocol and its application. The club is, in fact, already represented on the JPP Working Group.’

‘We have requested written reasons from the panel chair involved in the tribunal and in the interests of transparency will publish in due course.’

‘JPP Rule 38 was introduced in response to the referee strike of 2010, when match officials campaigned for greater protection after enduring sustained personal criticism from clubs and fans. Ahead of a new season, we remind clubs of their responsibilities in this regard.’

Ibrox – theRangers v Celtic, 4 May 2025. Photo Vagelis Georgariou (The Celtic Star)

It really must be a strange position for some at the Ibrox club, having to bite the hand that fed them. Just as well this current conspiracy didn’t extend to league membership applications or the registering of players way back when.

What I find astonishing, bar the mad mental statement – theRangers one not the SFA’s, that was beautifully crafted and expertly delivered – is that it even got to the stage of a notice of complaint, never mind a fine.

What has the world come to? Did something happen in the last 13 years that caused a disturbance in the force? What happened to a third knuckle shuffle – or the establishment for that matter?

If I was a fan of the Ibrox club, after I’d heavily disinfected my very soul, I’d be asking why the new board, now run by apparent professionals, sounds suspiciously like the old board, run by rank amateurs. That, and why did we employ John Brown, in any capacity.

Meet the new boss. Same as the old boss? Dragging Celtic into a row that has absolutely nothing to do with us…

Meanwhile delight to read reports on The Celtic Star late last night that the Benjamin Nygren deal is done and that the Swedish international will be a Celtic player, with the source being none other than Fabrizio Romano, who reported:

‘Benjamin Nygren to Celtic, here we go! Deal done with Nordsjælland for €1.5m transfer fee. Contract until June 2029 plus option until 2030.’ Fabrizio Romano

🚨⚪️🟢 Benjamin Nygren to Celtic, here we go! Deal done with Nordsjælland for €1.5m transfer fee. Contract until June 2029 plus option until 2030.
– sábado, 21 de junio de 2025

Well done, Celtic and well done to two of the writers on The Celtic Star posting the breaking news in the middle of the night! More on this transfer story to follow, stay tuned…

Niall J

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