hackwatching

Are Celtic treated equally by the Scottish Football governing body?

Other clubs can raise precisely the same concerns as Celtic, but seem immune from public response by the SFA. When Celtic raise concerns it invariably draws a public rebuke from the SFA – usually by George Peat or Gordon Smith.

Not only are a few eyebrows being raised as the sheer volume of refereeing errors favouring one club at the expense of many, but the manner in which our governing body deal publicly with statements from member clubs is beginning to draw off-field parallels.

Compare the following statements and responses in the past 3 months alone.

 

2nd January 2010
(immediately prior to a Glasgow Derby)

Walter Smith accuses referee Willie Collum of lying and changing his story over the reason for red carding Kenny Miller against Dundee Utd. He is also “furious” over the appeal being turned down by Collum - he said: “How can you have an appeals process which is dependent upon the referee admitting that he got it wrong in the first place?”

No response from George Peat or Gordon Smith.

28th March 2010

Kevin Thompson’s cup final red card appeal is submitted by Rangers a few minutes ahead of the deadline and a couple of hours prior to their game at Tannadice. The appeal is rejected immediately by the referee.

Smith said: “We tried to use the system - we aren’t the first to do that and we won’t be the last to do so. A lot of clubs have had success doing that but we have been thwarted.” Smith added: “So I’m happy - as long as, in the future, every club is dealt with in the same manner. By that I mean when an appeal goes in, they will have an answer within minutes.”

No response from George Peat or Gordon Smith.

29th March 2010

Fraser Wishart writes to the SFA and speaks publicly about the need for the review process to be fully overhauled. (We will leave aside his timing and assume it wasn’t because his ex-club had just had an appeal rejected, but will note that his intervention was not in the wake of Celtic’s appeal over the Scott Brown red card – a genuine appeal for a ridiculous decision as opposed to Rangers’ deliberate attempt at making a player available for a crucial game following a straighforward red card.)

He said: “If you look at the regulations they actually say wrongful dismissal claims can only be made in exceptional circumstances. The feeling within the game is that the SFA are almost trying to discourage appeals. Secondly, they can only be for clear refereeing errors. Thirdly, appeals will not be entertained if it comes down to a matter of opinion. Fourthly, it costs you a grand. I don’t want to have a go at referees but in the terms of natural justice, anybody should be able to appeal a red card and have it go to a review panel. The person who issues the sanction should not then be the judge and jury on that appeal.”

No response from George Peat or Gordon Smith.

26th February 2010
(in the week prior to a Glasgow Derby)

A Celtic source is quoted as saying “We are considering contac,ting the SFA to highlight our concerns at some of the major decisions we feel have gone against us this season.”

George Peat fires an immediate response at Celtic: “We find it disappointing and somewhat bizarre that, in the build-up to an Old Firm derby, an unnamed Celtic “source” would seek to exert additional pressure on match officials by issuing ill-timed and fundamentally inaccurate comments,” said Peat.

30th March 2010

Celtic chairman John Reid supports Wishart’s call for a review of the appeals process. “As a club we share Fraser’s views on this matter and would echo his calls for the current system to change in the interests of clarity and fairness. It cannot be right that the very first stage of an appeal process is in effect decided by the same person who took the original decision being appealed against in the first place. As a matter of course, an appeal should be heard by a Review Panel and not by the referee who made the initial decision - this is surely the only right and proper process.”

Gordon Smith fires an immediate response at Celtic: “When the procedure was amended in 2007 it was approved by the [SFA’s] Disciplinary Committee, of which Eric Riley, Celtic’s financial director, was chairman. He remains part of the committee as vice-chairman. Neither myself nor the SFA believes the current system is without flaw. It should be noted that while Dr John Reid believes the procedure should involve a review panel – this is surely the only right and proper process – with no input from the match official, this would, in fact, contravene one of FIFA’s fundamental Laws of the Game – ‘the decision of the referee is final”.

3rd April 2010

Neil Doncaster, SPL Chief Executive, issues a statement supporting Celtic’s concerns, and goes further by highlighting Gordon Smith’s ignorance of the English FA appeals process and negating his weak and ill-informed view of the Laws of The Game.

Doncaster said: “We are supportive of the stance that has been adopted by Celtic FC and PFA Scotland on this issue recently. We will be making representations through the Scottish FA to suggest improvements to the current system, which, as Gordon has said, is causing growing concern across Scottish football. The system I was involved in south of the Border is much more efficient, with appeals being reviewed by an independent panel in a one-stage process. FIFA does not seem to have a problem with this so why should it be different in Scotland?”

No response from George Peat or Gordon Smith.

I have already documented Gordon Smith’s shameful handling of the “Lifetime Ban” fiasco. For that alone, he should have been relieved of his position. It is utterly imperitive that our governing body treats all clubs equally - and is seen to do so. One can argue the merits or otherwise of the “honest mistakes” by officials this season, but it is something very different to have the SFA Chief Executive feel compelled to rebuke one club for statements that others have made without such rebuke.

By U2 1888

More paranoid ranting available at www.celticparanoia.blogspot.com

 

TONY BANANAS & HACKWATCHER