Six days after Richard Gordon lit up the internet by highlighting the bias of Scottish referees Graham Spiers has tip-toed into the issue.
Last Saturday, in the pages of the Press & Journal, Gordon took a deep dive into the 68 match run since Kevin Clancy awarded a penalty against the Ibrox Tribute Act in an SPFL match.
A letter of complaint about Clancy to the SFA was leaked to Sky Sports, no referee has dared to repeat that act with Nick Walsh and Willie Collum taking the run to 70 matches for the second best team in Scotland.
Internet Bampots have been on the story for months, there has been two new prime ministers, two new Ibrox managers and a change of British monarch since Clancy pointed to the penalty spot with Lewis Ferguson scoring in a 1-1 draw.
This is bold from Richard Gordon, a BBC Sportsound presenter: Scottish referees are biased towards Rangers.
Does he say this quite so brazenly on air? https://t.co/R0SvEkp0lR— Graham Spiers (@GrahamSpiers) December 8, 2023
While highlighting the issue as bold, six days after publication Spiers prefers to deflect down the road that the column was written by a BBC presenter. It is a decent point but not the main one, Spiers knows the fate of Jim Spence and the true blue credentials of Kenny Macintyre, Alasdair Lamont, Jane Lewis, Steven Thompson and the lads at Pacific Quay.
Since publication BBC Scotland haven’t gone near the content of their Sunday Sportsound presenter. Their Gossip page will pick up and promote all sorts of crap from Football Insider and TEAMtalk but are on egg-shells for anything that might upset their friends at Ibrox.
These days stats are everywhere, they form the basis for much of the content in stories, Celtic’s Champions League run without a win is lovingly repeated at every opportunity.
James Tavernier’s scoring record is drooled over with no-one in the mainstream prepared to go near statistics at the other end.
Clancy is back in charge of managing the run when Dundee visit Ibrox tomorrow with the home side closing in on Barcelona’s 74 match run without having a La Liga penalty awarded against them.
The Spanish authorities are now investigating payments of £7m made by Barcelona to a consultancy run by referee chief Jose Maria Enriquez Negreira, no Scottish referees are expected to be involved in the European Championship finals in Germany next summer.
He’s just drawing the obvious conclusions based on evidence. You can only explain this data by concluding that Rangers are refereed differently to other clubs who play in similar contexts, ie dominant, possession heavy, most league opponents weaker. Why is it so taboo to say so? pic.twitter.com/KmHKvsZO8l
— JohnCollinsCSC (@JohnCollinsCSC) December 8, 2023
Bias or not, the stats are remarkable and I would love to hear from the @ScottishFA ‘s Crawford Allan or someone in the gambling industry about any checks they do on statistical anomalies. pic.twitter.com/CCwywbtUsz
— RhebelRhebel (@RhebelRhebel) December 8, 2023
Richard Gordon is only saying what the rest of us know to be true. Perhaps more journalists need to speak up rather than remain silent when blatant cheating is going on in front of our eyes
— Pete Thelman (@IRH1916) December 8, 2023
Richard Gordon isn’t the story here , the facts upon which he bases his opinion on are , as you well know.
— Highland__Paddy (@Highland__paddy) December 8, 2023
He should. Everybody should FFS. The penalty stats are a national embarrassment. Statistical anomoly my backside. They’ve conceded less penalties in the last four years than they’ve been AWARDED since Clement has been boss. That’s a joke. That’s rancid.
— TheCelticBlog (@CelticBlog2018) December 8, 2023
It’s not remarkable as Richard stated, it’s ridiculous! 🍀
— The Retro Celtic🍀 (@RetroCeltic) December 8, 2023
It’s staggering that it’s taken any journalist this long to stick his hand up in the air and at least ask the question. Rangers haven’t had a league penalty against since they submitted an 8 point letter of complaint against Kevin Clancy to the SFA.
— Brian Doyle (@Stoneysnapper) December 8, 2023
It’s about time someone within SMSM addressed this. How can you seriously, and as a Celtic fan I am being objective, explain Sevco conceding 0 pens in 70 games? Extraordinary! And why are we the only country in Europe refs don’t have to disclose their football allegiance!
— EmmArr (@Beaverchew) December 8, 2023
Is he allowed to say that on air? Remember what happened to Jim Spence for telling the truth.
— Paul (@pauln1984) December 8, 2023
The problem we have in Scotland is the Bias across all the media platforms.
The BBC for example, is flooded with ex gers players and pundits that steer the narrative away from perceived negatives.
Example Soft penalty awarded to Goldson discussed. Forearm smash down played.— ThePort (@PortBhoy11) December 8, 2023
Don’t forget the previous run of 44 games either Graham… a statistical anomaly if ever I saw one 😂. England are missing a trick by not involving 2 such incredibly talented defenders in their squads….🤔🤨
— paul (@greenwhitehoops) December 8, 2023
Telling the truth is “bold” and “brazen”
This sums up Scottish sport’s journalism in a nutshell
— Quint (@Indy_Quint) December 8, 2023
Some of the penalty stats are causing bookies to withdraw certain bets. When I tried to put a bet on recently regarding a Rangers penalty the chap in the bookies said that bet wasn’t available. It had been withdrawn as there is a ‘known issue’ within the business about this.
— Declan Tim 💚🍀 (@tim_declan) December 8, 2023
Maybe a European inquiry. 🧐 nothing to see here Timmy. On yer way.
Week after week. pic.twitter.com/IQMrPZ41Ar— John Walsh ….CBA 🏴 (@farraboots) December 8, 2023
Only man in the media brave enough to say what is so blatantly clear and has been for decades. 👏👏👏👏 pic.twitter.com/JgemkTDYAj
— Mike (@DaBostonBarman) December 8, 2023
