Debunking the conspiracy that hangs over Scottish football

I am going to start this article by declaring I LOVE A CONSPIRACY, often ridiculed by mates with the tin-foil memes and gifs, family members automatically calling me a conspiracy theorist if I have an alternative view on something they have seen in the media.

Conspiracy Theorist — nothing more than a derogatory title used to dismiss a critical thinker.

In the few years since our return to the top flight of Scottish football there has been allegations of an apparent conspiracy, on our own shores, played out weekly in front of our eyes! How did we miss it?…Because it does not exist.

I have read several conspiracy tweets in the aftermath of the Rangers vs Hibs game last weekend, the usual ones after every Rangers win which has a talking point, or at least a narrative created by fans of other clubs and biased “journalists”. One tweet caught my eye, the tweet stated “Nick Walsh’s statistics, five out of his last six Rangers games he has awarded Rangers a Penalty or Sent off an opposition player. Speaks for itself” so I decided to have a look at the statistics to see what the fuss is about. For the sake of the argument, I will base it on the seasons since our return to the Premiership and have a look at how each referee has officiated our games, including Old Firm games.

NICK WALSH

Let’s start with the man of the moment, Nick Walsh. Walsh was at the centre of the latest conspiracy allegations last weekend when he sent off Hibs thug Ryan Porteous for his horrendous challenge on Joe Aribo. The dismissal came at a time when Hibs were 1–0 in front, Rangers came back and won with two goals after the break to ensure a huge victory this early in the season. Fans from Hibs, Celtic, and the media, questioned the decision despite footage showing it was a reckless tackle, a regular occurrence from Porteous against Rangers with him having three yellows, two reds and several bad fouls that have gone unpunished. When he was sent his marching orders there was still 60mins to play — no one can know if Rangers would have brought it back against eleven men or not, but we don’t need to dwell on that as the card was justified and the result is in the history books.

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Hibs had the audacity to appeal the red card, but it was rightly upheld, and he faces a two-game ban. Hopefully he takes this time out to assess his approach to the game before he seriously injures a fellow professional. I have seen him abuse a well-respected writer who wrote an article on him and even complimented his ability, he won’t get that admiration from me.

Since our return Walsh has officiated 22 of our games, we have a WDL record of 18–3–1, receiving 29 yellow cards and 0 red cards, in that time he has given us three penalties. Walsh gave one penalty against us in a 2–2 draw with Motherwell, where either side were given a penalty. Now this looks like a decent record when he is in charge, one that people could claim shows potential bias towards us…So let’s have a look at Celtics record in that time — P18, W14, D3, L1, receiving 18 yellows, a second yellow and being awarded four penalties. Celtic had one penalty awarded against them against Killie in a 5–1 win, Walsh also showed Hamilton a red card in his games officiating Celtic.

In terms of Old Firm games, Walsh has officiated one game. Rangers won 4–1 with Callum McGregor seeing a second yellow in the passage of play that led to Rangers going 1–0 in front, his first yellow had come two minutes prior. The decision to send him off was met with the usual debate, but Walsh was deemed to have upheld the letter of law which states “advantage should not be applied in situations involving serious foul play, violent conduct or a second cautionable offence”, However advantage can be played if “there is a clear opportunity to score a goal”. Walsh’s decision to send off McGregor and this past weeks decision to send off Porteous were both supported by Sky Sports News refereeing analyst Dermot Gallagher.

Therefore, Nick Walsh has awarded Celtic more penalties than Rangers despite officiating four more Rangers games. He has given a penalty against each of the Old Firm and gave one of Celtic’s opposition a sending off. His red card decision in the Old Firm contest was merited and even showed a greater deal of awareness in the rules than some of his peers, despite then Celtic manager John Kennedy labelling him a “rookie”.

BOBBY MADDEN

Madden has officiated 25 Rangers games, with Rangers recording a record of 19–3–3, brandishing 35 yellows, one second yellow and SIX red cards, the most dismissals produced to Rangers by any referee, Madden has awarded Rangers eight penalties in that time whilst giving three penalties against us. One team has seen red cards against us — Aberdeen, with McKenna and Considine being sent off on separate occasions, McKenna was sent off at the same time as Morelos so there was no man advantage to Rangers, Considine was given a red in the final minutes of a game Rangers had led since the 20th minute.

Celtic have a record of 21–3–4 in the 28 games Madden has been in charge. In that time, they have seen 28 yellows, two second yellows, a red card and have been awarded seven penalties. Three teams have seen red against Celtic, but Celtic also seen red in two of those games, the other game saw Aberdeen reduced to ten men in the 87th minute while trailing 2–1 to Celtic, Celtic scored from the resulting spot kick and added another for a 4–1 win. Madden has awarded one spot kick against Celtic, but he also awarded Celtic one in the game against Hibs.

Madden has overseen seven Old Firm’s. Celtic have won three, Rangers have won two and two draws. In those games Rangers have received FOUR red cards to Celtic’s one, although for the avoidance of doubt, one of those red cards was Jordan Jones stupidity and another was a 97th minute card to Halliday. Celtic’s red card came from a Nir Biton last man challenge (yes, he was the last man, contrary to others’ opinions). Celtic received three penalties in the six games, with Rangers receiving none.

In comparison Madden has officiated three more Celtic games than Rangers but has awarded Rangers seven more yellow cards. Celtic have received one more second yellow, but Rangers have seen five more straight reds in that time, four of them coming in Old Firm games. Rangers have had eight penalties which seems a lot, but Celtic, Hearts and Killie have received seven. Madden loves a red for Rangers, but he missed one…

KEVIN CLANCY

The man who awarded the free kick away to St Mirren that prompted Borna Barišić to score his first goal for the club subsequently kickstarting his career with us, but that’s where the praise for Clancy ends, as he presided over one of the worst refereeing displays I have ever seen in the 2–1 Rangers Old Firm victory.

Clancy has taken charge of 22 Rangers games since 2016, brandishing 43 yellow cards, a second yellow and two reds. He has generously awarded us two penalties. In that time Rangers have a record of 14–5–3. He has surprisingly awarded zero penalties against us and has given the opposition a dismissal on one occasion.

Celtic have 26 games, a 16–5–5 record, 37 cautions, no sending offs and five penalty awards. Again, surprisingly, Clancy has given three of Celtic’s opposition a penalty, but has also dismissed players on two occasions, although St Johnstone red card came when they were already losing 5–0 — a high score, which is a feature of the Celtic games that Clancy officiates.

Clancy has presided over three Old Firms with Rangers winning ALL of them…wait, what?! None of his stats suggest he has any bias towards Rangers as he has produced more cautions, more sending offs and awarded us less penalties. The only statistic that favours us is that he hasn’t awarded a penalty against us. In my opinion, if you asked every Rangers fan who the worst official is, majority would say Clancy, yet we have WON every OF game he has overseen (still can’t believe it). This proves and is evidenced by the 2–1 away win at Celtic, that no matter how bad an official’s performance is towards one side, most times, if that side is the better team — they will come out on top in the end.

Gerrard after Rangers 2–1 away win at Celtic

JOHN BEATON

Now I said Clancy had overseen one of the worst displays I had seen from an official in the 2–1 Rangers win vs Celtic, this guy officiated the other, Rangers vs Hibs at Ibrox in 2017, it was calamitous decision after another, it was quite unbelievable watching it from the stands.

Beaton has been in charge of 24 games of ours since 2016, we have a record of 17–1–6, accumulating 39 cautions, one red card, including one for Steven Gerrard and has awarded six penalties in our favour. Beaton has ordered an opposing player off four times against us, twice against Aberdeen, and once against both the Edinburgh sides.

Beaton has been appointed official in 27 Celtic games, they have a record of 20–4–3, collecting 37 yellows, one red and awarding them nine penalties, the most of any official. Beaton has never given an opposing player of Celtic their marching orders but has awarded three spot kicks against them.

John Beaton has been the official in three Old Firm’s, Rangers have won two, Celtic have won one. In terms of cards shown, there isn’t much in it, both teams were shown two cards on two occasions, Celtic won the card count 3–1 in the earliest of Beaton’s Old Firm’s but they also recorded 19 fouls to Rangers 14. In those three games Rangers were awarded no penalties, Celtic were awarded one.

In terms of bookings for both clubs, it is fairly even. Both sides have had a dismissal, and Rangers have a couple more cautions despite a few games less. Rangers have seen opposition sent-off four times by Beaton, Celtic haven’t seen any opposition off. They will argue that the red cards favoured Rangers, and that Beaton should have sent Morelos off at Ibrox in 2019, but he has given them the most penalties of any referee, Dermot Gallagher (again) backed two of the three Morelos decisions Beaton made in that Old Firm game, and his word is often sought by Celtic fans after a talking point involving Rangers.

Beaton is met with mixed reactions when it comes to officiating Old Firm games. Celtic fans believe he is a Rangers fan, after pictures emerged of him drinking in an alleged Rangers bar after the aforementioned Ibrox Old Firm. Since then, he has been involved in abuse, death threats from the dark side of Glasgow and it is believed he is now scared to give Rangers any decisions, a view that is hard to argue when he denied Rangers a stonewall penalty at Pittodrie, costing us two points and followed that by making several wrong decisions in our 2–1 defeat at Rugby Park in Feb 2020. One look at that Rangers vs Hibs game of 2017 is enough to see he is not a Rangers man, and if any Celtic fan disagrees or is disgruntled, watch the Hibs game back, watch the Pittodrie decision, Killie away and decide…. These things always “even themselves out” over a season.

WILLIE COLLUM

Ah Willie Collum, is this even necessary?

Willie is considered Scotland’s senior official. He has been the man in the middle of 24 Rangers games, with Rangers winning only a third of those games, a record of 12–4–8, our most losses under any referee since our return to the top flight of Scotland. Collum has given Rangers 43 yellow cards, two second yellows and two red cards, while awarding us three penalties. Collum has given Rangers opposition a red card on four occasions, one of which Rangers were also shown a red. Collum has awarded opposition three penalties.

Collum has officiated 32 Celtic games, more than any other official, they have a record of 21–9–2, a decent return. Collum has given Celtic 45 yellows, one second-yellow and has red carded Celtic players on five occasions, more than any other official, he has awarded them five penalties in that period. Collum has given St Mirren and Hearts a red when opposing Celtic, and has awarded six penalties against Celtic, four of which have come in Aberdeen’s favour, with the Dons being awarded two penalties in a game in two separate fixtures.

Collum has been the official in six Old Firms with Rangers winning none, Celtic winning five and one being a draw. In those games Collum awarded Rangers a penalty, which happened to be in the Scottish League Cup Final at Hampden, the day Rangers battered Celtic and would have won silverware if it was not for Celtic keeper Fraser Forster’s performance and the officials, who failed to miss the blatant offside goal from Julien, which proved enough on the day. In the other Old Firm games under Collum, Rangers have received a red card whilst Celtic have received two and also been awarded a spot kick.

There is no argument for Willie Collum being pro-Rangers. He was deliberately kept off Rangers games by the SFA after his embarrassing decision to send Daniel Candeias off against St Mirren. Six months passed before he was given another Rangers game, Scotland’s senior official, and in his first game back officiating us he awarded Kilmarnock a soft penalty in the 89th minute to give them a 2–1 victory at Rugby Park, with Stephen O’Donnell admitting on Clyde SSB that he conned the ref, saying “I admit I went down theatrically. We got a decision we deserved so I have nothing to apologise for.”

Collum is the highest profile and most experienced referee in Scotland, he just isn’t a good official, and I expect both sets of Old Firm fans have that opinion.

STEVEN MCLEAN

Rangers have a 11–5–6 record in the 22 games Mclean has been in charge, seeing 42 yellows and two second yellows, we have been awarded and conceded three penalties by the official. Mclean has also sent two opposing players off, one of the reds came against Aberdeen where Rangers trailed 1–0, we were also down to ten 30mins later and the game finished 1–0. The second dismissal was in the 92nd minute against Hibs, the game was in the dying moments at 1–1 so there was no real advantage given to us.

Celtic have only had thirteen games with Mclean in charge and have a record of 12–0–1. They have acquired 17 yellow cards, zero reds and have received one penalty. Mclean has dismissed two opposing players for Ross County and Hearts and has also awarded Hears a penalty kick in the same game, they went on to lose 2–1 to Celtic.

Mclean has officiated one Old Firm game, a 2–1 win for Celtic with both teams receiving three cautions.

CRAIG THOMSON

Now retired, Thomson took charge of 16 Rangers matches, with Rangers having a 8–2–6 record with him in charge. We received 19 cautions and one penalty award. Thomson showed Motherwell a red card against Rangers and awarded a penalty to Cowdenbeath. Pretty uneventful.

Thomson officiated 18 Celtic games, with them having a 13–2–3 return, they were distributed 27 yellows and awarded three penalties. However, Thomson did make some decisions in big games involving Celtic. He red carded Cedric Kipre of Motherwell in the League Cup Final, awarding Celtic a penalty in the same incident. Four months later he sent Kipre off against Celtic, but the visitors failed to capitalise with a man advantage for half the game and it ended 0–0. Thomson also gave Aberdeen two red cards and awarded Celtic a penalty in their 3–0 semi-final win over Aberdeen in 2019. Another Aberdeen player, and Celtic rival, Shay Logan was dismissed in a separate fixture vs Celtic.

Thomson officiated three Old Firm games at a time when Rangers were not realistically challenging, losing all three games.

DON ROBERTSON

Don Robertson has been involved in 26 Rangers games, with Rangers having an 18–4–4 record, acquiring 37 yellows, one second-yellow and one red, receiving four penalties. Robertson has handed two opposing sides a dismissal, St Johnstone, and Aberdeen.

Don has taken charge of 20 Celtic games, with them having a record of 18–2–0. They have been cautioned just 14 times and have received one dismissal, receiving four penalties.

The young ref was criticised by Celtic fans and media for giving Ross County a penalty at the end of their contest with Celtic, resulting in a 2–2 draw and a red card for Scott Brown, the decision was rescinded on appeal.

Robertson has not officiated an Old Firm.

ALAN MUIR

Muir has overseen 11 games of both sides of the Old Firm, five of his eleven Rangers games have been against Kilmarnock. Rangers have a record of 6–4–1 with Celtic 9–2–0. Rangers have had 13 cautions and one dismissal, Celtic have only seven cautions. Rangers have been given three penalties; Celtic have received two. In terms of opposition, Dundee received a red against Rangers in a 1–1 draw, and Kilmarnock received a 20th minute penalty against Celtic also in a 1–1 draw.

EUAN ANDERSON

Anderson has officiated seven Rangers games, we have been undefeated in those with a 6–1–0 return, accumulating seven cautions and receiving one penalty. Anderson gave a 94th minute penalty to St Johnstone which earned them a 1–1 draw, Gerrard acknowledged the official hade made the right decision.

He has been in the middle for eight Celtic games, with them registering a 6–1–1 record. They too have received seven cautions but have been awarded a penalty more than Rangers. Two opposing teams have been given a red card with Cosgrove being sent off just after Celtic went 2–1 ahead, Dundee also received a late dismissal and subsequent penalty which had no bearing on the game as the converted penalty made it 6–0 Celtic.

CRAWFORD ALLAN

Allan has officiated three games for both sides. Rangers have a record of 2–1–0 and Celtic have three wins. Rangers have received four cautions to Celtic’s one and both sides have received a solitary penalty. ICT were given a red card against Celtic in a 3–0 defeat in 2016.

GAVIN DUNCAN

Duncan was referee in two Celtic games, giving Celtic a penalty in a 5–0 victory over St Mirren.

DAVID MUNRO

Official in three Celtic games where they held a 1–1–1 record. Red carded a Raith player when Celtic were already 3–0 ahead.

GREG AITKEN

Aitken officiated six Rangers games, with Rangers producing a 3–2–1 record. He gave us eight cautions and awarded us two penalties. Aitken showed Gogic of Hamilton a 91st minute dismissal but Hamilton ran out 2–0 victors regardless.

ANDREW DALLAS

Leaving the best to last. Like father, like son, in Celtic’s eyes.

Son of the legendary official Hugh Dallas, Andrew is hated by Celtic fans, much like his father was during the 90s. Most of the animosity towards Andrew stems from his father and the fact he awarded Rangers four penalties in one game against St Mirren, despite all four being correct decisions, something Celtic fans can’t fathom.

Dallas has been referee in 18 Rangers games, with the Gers returning a 13–4–1 record. We have received 32 cautions and two second yellows, and have been granted 10 penalties, which seems a lot but as has been highlighted, four came in one game. Also, in comparison to other officials, Madden has given Rangers eight penalties and Beaton has given Celtic nine. Granted it is 10 penalties in 18 games, but classing the St Mirren game as an anomaly and six penalties in 17 games isn’t worthy of criticism.

Dallas has given Peterhead a dismissal in an already wrapped up 5–0 win for Rangers, he gave Ryan Christie an early bath when playing for Aberdeen, but Rangers were already 3–0 ahead. Dallas awarded Hibs a penalty early in the 5–5 draw with Rangers under Warburton, in the same game he sent Jason Holt off with five minutes remaining with Hibs equalising in injury time. Dallas also awarded St Johnstone a penalty in their 3–2 win over Rangers.

Dallas has officiated 15 Celtic games, with them having a 14–1–0 record. They have been cautioned 14 times, and one second yellow, he has also awarded them four penalties. Dallas also sent a player off for Hamilton against Celtic, with Celtic scoring four minutes later to go 2–1 up and see out the win.

A man who comes from the sperm of Hugh Dallas is obviously going to face prejudice from Celtic fans. The fact Celtic have never lost a game he has held the cards and whistle in, and Rangers have double the number of cautions despite only three games more under Dallas surely doesn’t suit their conspiracy narrative? Surely the stats are round the wrong way and Rangers won all games he officiated in with half the number of cautions as their rivals? Maybe Hugh should stop his pocket money.

If you have made it to the end of this article, then fair play, it is a lot of numbers to take in and stay interested. I hope this has shown that there is no underlying issue in Scotland with officials favouring Rangers. I appreciate people will say it is about the decisions that are missed, “the honest mistakes”, and I may have missed/forgot some important events from over the years. This article is not designed to show there is a bias towards Celtic or any other club, it is to present the facts to show there is no bias towards Rangers, no masonic conspiracy, our referees are all humans and certainly capable of mistakes. Last season St Mirren had six more fouls than Celtic but received 26 more cautions, in 2018/19 St Johnstone had one less foul than Celtic but 12 more cautions. Why no conspiracy chat? Because in 2017/18 Hibs had six more fouls than St Johnstone and received 17 more yellow cards, it is not just the Glasgow clubs who are in receipt of bad decisions, and there is no agenda.

I think everyone would agree Scotland has never boasted the greatest officials, and they do have a tough gig, especially with the scrutiny of the Glasgow goldfish bowl. I hope the introduction of VAR will at least help the officials and assist in eliminating the theory of any dark arts or club bias.

Stats taken from [transfermarkt.co.uk](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/) &[ footstats.co.uk](https://www.footstats.co.uk/)*