Like the thousands viewing, Chris Sutton was amazed as his Sky Sports colleague Kenny Miller created an iconic moment of sports broadcasting.
For reasons best known to himself Miller refused to budge an inch from the party line that his old club had been robbed of victory against Celtic by the actions of Willie Collum. The standard wolf whistle.
Even Kris Boyd and Phil Clement weren’t putting up a defence for John Lundstram, it was as clear a red card as you are likely to find even though Collum’s initial reaction was to go easy with a yellow.
The fans inside Celtic Park knew what they had witnessed, Sky Sports viewers suspected it, all was confirmed with the first viewing from a ground level camera.
Fresh from scoring an own goal and then seeing Cyriel Dessers pull a goal back Lundstram was like a man possessed when he watched Joe Hart passing the ball to Alistair Johnston.
The defender shaped up to allow the ball to run by but the Scary Scouser had a different plan, he saw the opportunity to wipe out an opponent and jumped in like an out of control Sunday League player.
Sutton and commentator Ian Crocker knew instantly what was about to unfold as play was paused for a VAR review, Miller knew differently and launched himself fully into uber-staunch mode.
The more that others stated the obvious case for a red card the more he railed against it, coming up with a variety of excuses to deny the obvious.
Fans and former players knew what they had witnessed, in the VAR era you are very unlikely to get away with it. Even Lundstram knew, there were no dramatics or protests as his yellow card was upgraded. But Miller kept on digging and digging. And more.
Miller: “I understand why it’s a red card, in this day and age when you slow things down and you put the point of contact. John Lundstram’s foot is planted right against the side of Alistair Johnston’s leg. But what I would say is had VAR not been there, nobody is moaning that that’s not a red card. It’s a yellow card, no doubt about it. I understand why it’s a red card but when you see it in real time. yeah he’s fast-”
McFadden: “Kenny…it’s a red card mate. Come on.”
Miller: “Hang fire James, I’ve just given you the reason why I don’t think it’s a red card.”
McFadden: “It’s a red card.”
Miller: “It’s a yellow card for me. VAR comes in, intervenes and it’s clearly when he slows it down, it’s always going to be a red card when he gets called to the monitor. Had there not been VAR, nobody would have asked for that to be a red card. Simple.”
Sutton: “It’s a red card in the 1970s Kenny.”
Miller: “Absolutely not Chris.”
McFadden: “You need VAR to see the point of contact. I know you talk about slowing it down, but when you see it full pace, he catches him above the ankle. He’s out of control and he’s endangering an opponent.
Miller: “He’s not out of control!”
McFadden: “Of course he is!”
Miller: “No he’s not! He’s running fast to go to a ball! You need run fast! He’s allowed to slide and he’s allowed to run fast.”
McFadden: “He’s not allowed to put his studs above his ankle.”
Miller: “Yeah but that’s not out of control.”
McFadden: “So he meant it then?”
Miller: “To kick Alistair Johnston? Absolutely not. He meant to go and win the ball. Alistair Johnston plants his foot. he’s not out of control. He is not out of control. Listen, in this day and age with VAR, slowed down, that is a red card. I get it. But for me, if VAR’s not there, nobody is moaning that’s not a red card.”
Sutton: “I think the heat is getting to Kenny.”
And do it continued with Miller getting angrier and angrier, the face getting redder and redder and the bottom lip staring to curl as he gets slaughtered by his media buddies. Kris Boyd was unable to offer a lifeboat to his former team-mate.
After checking out at Sky Sports Miller’s next pay cheque was with BBC Scotland and an appearance on Sportsound where even Kenny Macintyre and Tom English knew that it was a red card. Miller doubled down, again.
On the move he phoned through his EXCLUSIVE! thoughts for a column in the Daily Record.
Hopefully Miller is in need of his Super Scoreboard weekly payment, it should be fun if he has to spend two hours live on air with random Celtic fans calling in for his thoughts on the Lundstram red card.
After the Jozo Simunovic tackle there is another iconic moment on the CV of the former Scotland striker.
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