Frank Connor’s Celtic Park return after Cup Final controversy

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The Celtic Star

·28 dicembre 2024

Frank Connor’s Celtic Park return after Cup Final controversy

Matthew MacDermid has been appointed referee for Sunday’s Scottish Premiership clash between Celtic and St Johnstone…

Hearts v Tottenham Hotspur – Pre Season Friendly – Tynecastle Park Referee Matthew MacDermid, Wednesday July 17, 2024. Andrew Milligan

Tomorrow’s whistler has been the man in the middle for 19 games this season fluctuating between the top-flight and the Scottish Championship. In those 19 matches, MacDermid has produced 85 yellow cards whilst dishing out five reds.

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MacDermid’s first Celtic game since Trophy Day

Yet to officiate a Celtic game this season, this will be MacDermid’s first appointment of a Hoops encounter since the final Scottish Premiership game of last season where Celtic defeated St Mirren 3-2 on trophy-day.

Assistant referee Frank Connor during the Scottish Cup, Fifth Round match at Tynecastle, Edinburgh. Heart of Midlothian v Hibernian – Scottish Cup – Fifth Round – Tynecastle Photo Jeff Holmes

What seems to have caused much controversy though isn’t the referee appointment, but instead is Assistant Referee 1, Frank Connor, which angered theRangers so much, there new CEO Patrick Stewart wrote a strongly worded statement expressing ‘serious concerns,’ over Connor officiating in a game that doesn’t even involve their club.

Frank Connor

SFA Head of Referee’s Willie Collum lambasted VAR Alan Muir and AVAR Frank Connor in the ‘VAR Review,’ show for November and December after Celtic’s Premier Sports League Cup final triumph over theRangers two weeks ago following the duo failing to spot Liam Scales shirt pull on Vaclav Cerny on the line.

Celtic celebrate winning the Premier Sports Cup after Celtic’s victory over theRangers on 15 December 2024 at Hampden Park. Photo Kenny Ramsay

Subsequently, Muir and Connor were dropped for the last two Premiership rounds of matches but have returned to the spotlight for the final league card before the end of the year.

Accompanying onfield referee Matthew MacDermid, and AR1 Frank Connor at Celtic Park in the top versus bottom encounter is AR2 David Dunne.

Manning VAR duties at Clydesdale House is David Dickinson with Graeme Leslie appointed to the role as AVAR.

Reo Hatate celebrates scoring during the Scottish Premiership match between Celtic and Motherwell at Celtic Park, on 26th December 2024. Picture by Mark Runnacles

Celtic 12 points clear of theRangers after Boxing Day results

Brendan Rodgers’ side extended their lead at the top of the table on Boxing Day to 12 points and an eye-catching victory before a trip to Ibrox next Thursday will be the objective.

Kick-off is 3:00pm and will be shown live to subscribers based outside Britain and Ireland on Celtic TV.

Conor Spence

Celtic in the Thirties by Celtic Historian Matt Corr is published in two volumes by Celtic Star Books. ORDER NOW WHILE STOCKS LAST!