Over the weekend, both Scottish Cup semi-finals were decided by late goals. On Saturday, Garry O’Connor gave Hibs a first half lead, before Rory Fallon scored a wonder volley to equalise.
Leigh Griffiths then scored in the 87th minute to win the game for Hibs. On Sunday, Rudi Skacel gave Hearts the lead, before Gary Hooper equalised, also in the 87th minute. There was more drama to come, when referee Euan Norris awarded Hearts a penalty in the last minute, after Victor Wanyama handled in the box, and former Celtic striker Craig Beattie scored to set up an all-Edinburgh Scottish Cup final.
But when the final whistle blew, Celtic manager Neil Lennon was incensed, and marched onto the pitch to confront Norris, shouting in his face and pointing his finger. After the game, it was first team coach Alan Thompson who handled the post-match interviews, claiming Celtic should also have had a penalty late in the game. Later in the afternoon, Neil Lennon took to Twitter to air his views on the game, where he said “Referee told players he thought Wanyama handled…feel so sorry for players and fans..I think it’s personal myself”, retweeted a Celtic fan who said that the SFA was run by ‘crooked officials’ and said that Gary Hooper was not offside for Celtic’s equaliser, despite replays clearly showing that he was.
Being critical of referees is not a new thing for Neil Lennon. After last month’s defeat in the Scottish Communities League Cup, when Celtic lost 1-0 to Kilmarnock, he said that referee Willie Collum’s decision to book Anthony Stokes for diving instead of awarding a late penalty was ‘criminal’ and had cost Celtic a treble (even thought at that point, they hadn’t even won the SPL). Lennon was also sent to the stands at half-time during the last Old Firm match at Ibrox, after Cha Du Ri was shown a straight red card for a denying Lee Wallace a goal scoring opportunity. After the game Lennon claimed to be mystified as to why referee Calum Murray had sent him off, believing that he is entitled to question the referee’s decisions.
Lennon has already served touchline bans since becoming Celtic manager, receiving two last season after being critical of referees and arguing with Rangers manager Ally McCoist after a fiery Scottish Cup replay at Parkhead. That resulted in Lennon being given an 8 game touchline ban, although ultimately he sat out 5 games, with Celtic arguing that the bans should run concurrently. He also received a suspended £5,000 fine.
At the end of last month, it was revealed that the SFA compliance officer had written to Lennon three times in a week after his criticism of Collum and Murray, and then for talking about referees ahead of an SPL fixture with St. Johnstone. Now, just over a fortnight later, he’s publically accused referees of bias, and it is time for the SFA to take action.
In the hours following the final whistle at Hampden, an increasing number of Celtic fans also took to Twitter to abuse Euan Norris. Some wanted to know his address, and some wanted to cause him harm. When the manager of a football team is claiming in public that there is a refereeing bias against his team, some fans are going to start to believe it. Lennon should know better, but he seems to question the integrity of referees after every defeat. It is now up to the SFA to give Lennon a hefty fine and long touchline ban, or attacks on referees will continue, from Celtic employees and their fans.
Failure to do so would be a failure to back their referees, and having gone through a refereeing strike last season, SFA chief executive Stewart Regan cannot allow Lennon to go unpunished. Lennon has managed Celtic to their first SPL title in four years, but instead of enjoying that success and learning to take a defeat with dignity, he is bringing the Scottish game into disrepute. The SFA cannot allow him to continue in this fashion, so they must force him to end the season in the stands, and begin the 2012-13 season there too.
For more blogs, follow me on Twitter @DavidWDougan or @TheGlassCase.
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I’m surprised Celtic fans would even bother to give the half wit semi literate bigot Dougan a second thought. What do you expect from a pig but a grunt?
Go on Vincent, tell everyone why I’m a bigot, just one piece of evidence, that’s all that is required.
David Dougan, The referee in question was forced to quit not for a decision against Celtic but for telling lies about the incident to Neil Lennon and got caught, now why would a ref tell lies? If its not the biggest sporting scandal, what is it then, can you post a link to a piece you have written about it. I’ll no even answer your reply about Craig whyte not being a billionaire. What my points have to do with your article is quite simple managers argue with referees, officials etc always have done always will do its nothing new, why is their such a big deal over it now, The referees are not helping the not biased theory much are they, seem to be adding fuel as for your comment ‘biggest sporting scandal’ what a laugh that is’ well you give me another name for it then!
What are you even referring to, Rangers using EBTs being a ‘scandal’? Rangers are not the only club to have used them. As for bigger ‘scandals’, try looking a bit closer to home.
David D, So thats it sorted then Rangers were not the only club to use EBTs glad thats that cleared up, You should phone HMRC then D&P let them know.Then maybe phone the sfa and ask them about double contracts, maybe UEFFA ask about financial doping, ineligible players, Then put a notice in the paper stating its rangers right to be still trying to sign Daniel Cousin despite knowing the financial situation, leaving a trail of debts across Europe 263 creditors including emergency services, small business and other football clubs but hey thats ok because watp and even better the compliant media will airbrush it as a masterstoke. Your reply was as expected
NIBear
And whats your excuse for the scum who sent the bullets to nial mcginn and paddy mccourt ???? did they bring it on themselves dont try and excuse the filth who follow your putrid toxic football club by saying he brings it on himself what did nial and paddy do answer catholics from the north of ireland who dared to play for celtic
David dougan
As for bigger scandals try looking closer to home typical jaffa monkey using the abuse of kids to try and score points in arguments only scum of your ilk resort to that behaviour cant wait till that excuse of a football club die bring it on
I didn’t name any scandal. If you believe that is what I was referring to, that is up to you. What Rangers are involved in is not a ‘scandal’. There are any number of genuine sporting scandals that are more outrageous than Rangers using EBTs.
David you are a deluded man ok its no a scandal, you get back to stalking Neil Lennon and his Twitter page you could even organise a public flogging at ibrox £10 a ticket raise funds for the fighting fund very apt name. You must be so proud and glad to have been a follower of dignity fc. They wont be missed
Dear Dougan- Hooper off-side ? by 5 cms ? My TV pictures showed Hooper in line with the Tarts defenders-have you got some sort of special TV ? furthermore I listened to a Scottish Premier League podcast and they suggested that the “thing” Norris gave the pen because the Hearts players appealed along with the Hearts support.Norris couldn’t see the incident anyway.So you explain to me how that could possibly be given other than th e ref has his own rotten agenda ? Of course Norris knows that he doesn’t have to answer to anyone so he and the rest of the Refs Loyal know it’s business as usual.As regards pens it isn’t so much how many,but the state of the game when you get them.On two of the very rare occasions that Rangers were two goals down,Norris produced 2 pens for Rangers in each case (Kilie &ICT).Name me two gsmes where Celtic were 0-2 and got two pens ? Yeah right ! Name me two games where Celtic got 3 pens ? as Collum produced at D.UTD and St Mirren recently for Rangers ! Right-gotcha again. Re Lennon- he’s the only manager who shows his anger at referees.GET REAL YOU STUPID RACIST IMBECILIC CRETIN.Stop hanging out with buffoons fueled by Tennents and racial hatred.Watch Red Nose at Man Utd snarling etc-I’m not knocking him but leave Lennon alone.He’s been provoked beyond any reasonable limit,but Proddy Scotland HAS to REMIND the Tims of WHO has the POWER.Can’t we have HONEST application of the rules ?
This keeps getting better. I’m a racist now? Wonderful. How have you come to that conclusion? Is it because I’m a white British man who’s criticised a white British man?