The pattern of assistance was in full swing over the weekend. It’s one rule for Celtic, and another completely different set of rules for Ibrox
Eric Knott 
Yesterday, there was an air of desperation hanging over Ibrox.
Desperation not to drop points.
And desperation to make it to Celtic Park next week with their title hopes still alive.
They are.
Just about.
Despite a 4-1 victory over 10 man Kilmarnock, desperation seemed to turn to disbelief amongst their fans.
So much so, that they started walking out of Ibrox with 10 minutes left on the clock.
An air of resignation seems to have settled over Ibrox.
This is a familiar picture to their fans.
They seem to accept it’s going to be a tall order to win this title.
Even the media seem resigned to it based on Keith Jackson’s article in the Record this morning.
The Ibrox side huff and puffed to the win over Killie.
With 41 shots on goal, the Ibrox side managed to convert only 4 of those, at a stage where goal difference is now crucial.
If, and it’s a big if, they manage to take 3 points off us at Celtic Park next weekend, as things stand now, they will require a 5 goal swing to win the title.
They would need to score a fair few against us next week with no reply to put a dent in that.
And then assume we would score less than them in the remaining 2 fixtures after that.
Let’s be honest, that’s not going to happen.
I spoke earlier of desperation.
And of course that extends to the Ibrox facing officials as well.
David Dickinson is an Ibrox supporter, this has categorically been proven.
Remember?
This David Dickinson:
A reminder that this was the ref in the Rangers v Killie game today. Says it all. pic.twitter.com/cZ9tRdhHCi
— John Boyd (@JohnBoyd86) May 5, 2024
He was desperate for his favourite side to get all 3 points yesterday.
He did everything possible, and I mean everything, to facilitate that.
Kilmarnock started well, taking a fortuitous early lead through a James Tavernier O.G.
They were very much in this game up until the 22nd minute.
Then David Dickinson got his opportunity, and boy did he grasp it with both hands.
There is no doubting that Joe Wright handled the ball on the goal line.
That cannot be disputed.
What can be disputed was that he did not do it intentionally, it was 100% accidental.
Wright was off balance and falling at the time, and the ball hit his hand as he fell.
He did not commit a sending off offence.
This is clearly laid out in the rules of them game, as you can see below:
“The referee will consider factors such as the intention of the player and whether it was a deliberate attempt to deny a goal-scoring opportunity.”
David Dickinson chose not to consider those factors.
He made that choice because those factors did not suit his agenda.
To allow Joe Wright to remain on the pitch would mean Kilmarnock would still have the ability to take the game to the Ibrox side.
To send him off would give the Ibrox side the advantage they needed to win a critical tie and close the gap on Celtic, at a critical stage of the season.
When he went to the monitor, everyone knew he would give the inevitable penalty, but as well as that, everyone just knew he would brandish a red card.
Despite the fact Joe Wright’s handball was entirely accidental.
Ironically, James Tavernier missed the resultant penalty.
But it was only ever going to be a matter of time before the Ibrox side got an equaliser.
Time being the operative word here.
Dickinson managed to find truck loads more of it in his arse pocket.
Yes, there were VAR checks in the first half, but there was not 8 minutes worth.
Dickinson knew they had the momentum, so he couldn’t possibly allow Kilmarnock to head into the dressing rooms with their lead intact.
That would have been a huge psychological blow to his favourite side.
Which could possibly have resulted in them struggling to get all 3 points.
However, if they got that equaliser before half-time, well Dickinson of course, knew they would push on in the second half, buoyed by scoring that goal.
And that’s exactly what happened.
The Kilmarnock fans are fully aware they were cheated yesterday.
See the below comment from one of their fans, and former Kilmarnock TV commentator, John Boyd, on X:
You get cheated at Ibrox against Rangers. Every single fan, every player, every coach and every manager knows it. It’s laughable. No need to check fouls in the build up to the 3rd goal. Approved in seconds. Embarrassing and no accountability #WeareKillie
— John Boyd (@JohnBoyd86) May 5, 2024
Maybe they might join Celtic in the push for reform when it comes to Scottish refereeing?
Because based on yesterday’s performance by David Dickinson, it is clearly evident that the Ibrox side are refereed to a different standard in comparison to everyone else.
(Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)
None more so than Celtic.
Compare and contrast the handball incident at Celtic Park on Saturday which, resulted in the penalty that led to our 3rd goal.
Was it deliberate?
Well, that’s debatable.
But it was handball, and it should have resulted in a yellow card for Lawrence Shankland.
Which, of course, would have been a second yellow for that player.
Hearts should not have finished the game with 11 men.
If they had been reduced to 10, Celtic could quite possibly have scored another goal or two, which would have further boosted their superior goal difference.
The pattern of assistance ensured that did not happen.
Just as it ensured the Ibrox side were given that very advantage in the hopes they would improve their goal difference.
One set of rules for them, another completely different set for us.
The incident at Celtic Park was a sending off offence.
The one at Ibrox was not.
Now, in the broader scheme of things, the weekend just gone leaves things as you were.
Just as we expected it would.
And just as the Kilmarnock fans expected it would.
They went to Ibrox expecting to be cheated, and that’s exactly what happened.
Everybody goes to Ibrox expecting to be cheated.
That’s just the way it is.
The pattern of assistance is at it’s most blatant there.
So, now we wait to see who the SFA will name as the referee for next Saturday’s game.
No doubt, Crawford Allan will ensure it is someone who suits their agenda.
Someone who will do everything they can to assist the Ibrox side at Celtic Park.
After witnessing Celtic’s performance on Saturday, I have no doubt the players will do the business on the day.
But I know the referee will be the biggest threat to us.
Whoever it is, they will do everything in their power to ensure the Ibrox side get something from this game.
That, I do not doubt.
We just need to get out of sight very quickly.
If we do that, the referee will become an irrelevance.
If we don’t, and this game is hanging in the balance in the closing stages….
Well, after seeing what I saw yesterday, that’s the very scenario that worries me.
Let’s hope it doesn’t come to that.
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Click here for – WHY DOES THE SMSM CONTINUE TO DEFEND THE “REFEREE ALLEGIANCES” DEBATE, WHILE LABELLING CELTIC FANS AS CONSPIRACY THEORISTS TO JUSTIFY THAT DEFENCE?
The whole of football is so corrupt , there is not one referee in Scotland that won’t be bribed to help The Rangers get to the top and it is disgusting to see.
SFA should hang their heads in shame , VAR is great for all other SPL teams but for Celtic it’s brutal, every goal scored is checked in the hope they can chop it off , enough is enough.
They will not “need to score a fair few” In the next match, every goal will basically count as 2 unless it’s a draw. Rangers winning by 2 would reduce the goal difference to 1. A win by 3 would put them top of the league.
Now, with the patterns of assistance seen over the season, particularly recently, an early goal, a sending off and a penalty would put them in a very good position.
Celtic need to play very smart next week.
The corruption from the officials has now been ramped up to allowing ” twofers “- a penalty to theRangers and an opposition player being sent off at the very same time ! A lot of people have had the feeling that either theRangers will get a penalty during the game or a red card will be forthcoming for the rival club due to the circumstances of the game being played ? Now ,just to save time and effort , both happen simultaneously. Can’t wait to see our refs strutting their stuff at the Summer Euros ? Oh , that’s right ,none were deemed good enough to get an invite ! I wonder why that is ….hmmmmmm!
Walsh is the best referee in the country, he’ll get it…..
HH
It won’t matter about the referee or the tribute act, as Brendan and the players are just getting started……
HH
Why aren’t we as a club doing something about it l only hope there’s a dossier on all the cheating, ready to expose it !
Referee could have given the penalty in the first couple of games, chose not to when called over by var.
You are being so naive in regards to the goal difference swing! The five goal difference is nothing when you consider they have to face each other still!
Let’s look at the facts!
While we all know we are a far superior team, we also know we are facing the SFA themselves. We know the SFA has and will continue to work this week on a few ways to make sure their club get the big calls they need.
But back to the goals difference. Should they get any win at all against us, unlikely as it should be, each goal would be a two goal difference in the swing. It would be one more they score and one more we concede, therefore a two goal swing. So should they get a two goal victory, the five goal deficit we have now suddenly becomes a single goal difference! So don’t be so naive!
Why else do you think they were assisted in getting that four goals on Sunday?
We should be aware going in, we are playing against the SFA.
If this guy Moss, a ref from down south, gets the nod to replace Allan, it should be made known if he shags goats.
There was an incident at the game v Hearts and no one has mentioned it. At the North Stand side of pitch (think it was first half) Forrest went to head a ball and the Hearts player kicked the ball away inches from Forrest’s face. Yang was red carded at Tynecastle for a very similar challenge. Not even a foul was given……..unbelievable
This blatant discriminatory cheating has existed for manys a year.Other clubs insist that we get the decisions against their clubs? What do we do about it? Or will it be ‘Suck it up timmy,cos you’re not the Establishment club’KTF
Andy i seen that with Forrest the hearts player nearly took off james nose but because Forrest diznae go down then nothing will get done evening sportscene didn’t show it and as for our board they stay silent yet again Andy Bhoy..Hail Hail
Our Board may have something to hide and possibly this is why they do nothing. Or maybe it is something even more sinister. Or are they simply a bunch of cowards?
Calmness,strength of character,and self discipline will be a necessary requirement on Saturday next. The opposition will be primed for maximum provocation. Any sign of retaliation will be a Clement Trump card and exactly what the ref will be looking for.It will not be easy,but vital. Since we can’t expect fair play it’s impossible to predict the outcome.
We all know that were playing ranjurs the sfa and collum being the whistler with Dickinson being on var (we know where his allegiance lies)were gonna win but we need to be careful HH