BBC Scotland stand by Ferguson’s cheating claim

BBC Scotland are standing by Derek Ferguson’s claim that referee Marco Guida cheated during Dinamo Kiev’s 2-0 Champions League victory at Hampden on Tuesday night.

It was an outrageous claim to make, basically suggesting criminality as emotions got the better of the team in the media box with host Kenny Macintyre struggling to retain control. After broadcasting the claim BBC Scotland have refused to edit it out of the podcast from Tuesday’s Sportsound from Hampden.

The content from the state broadcaster from 6pm till after 10pm on Tuesday night sounded more like a fan podcast rather than a supposedly responsible broadcaster.

Macintyre seemed in his element with early contributions from John Brown and Stuart McCall reviving memories of his days travelling on a supporters bus and singing the songs unique to Rangers supporters.

Ferguson and Billy Dodds were the experts called on throughout the show while the real excitement was the appearance of last season’s hero Ryan Jack.

Macintyre sounded like a starstruck schoolboy as he fired out a series of questions that all seemed to start with ‘What was it like’ as he pried into the goings on at the training ground and inside the dressing room.

Two yellow cards for Jefte gave the team on Radio Scotland an excuse to deflect away from a costly defeat that exposed the limitations of Phil Clement.

Rather than discuss those issues a full on attack was made on Guida with Ferguson stepping way over the mark with his claim.

While phone-in shows have a time delay to edit out certain content it seems that BBC Scotland are trusting enough to go out live.

Not only did Ferguson make that claim but it has been retained on the podcast produced by BBC Scotland when it could easily have been edited out or an apology made as soon as the term was used.

6 Minutes

It beggars belief, I don’t even think that the first one, the yellow card, the one that he got in the first half, he stood on the boy’s foot. It was totally accidental, there was no attempt.

Macintyre buts in highlighting the second yellow card incident on a screen.

That is just a challenge, the two players have got their eyes fixed on the ball. There is, eh……….. it is just an ordinary challenge and why, or how, the ITALIAN REFEREE deems that a yellow card is absolutely baffling.

Know something, and I’m going to use a strong word, it seems like cheating to be honest with you.

And Doddsy (Billy) said ‘oh he’ll be marked down’. If he’s going to make decisions like that and award a yellow card the guy shouldn’t be reffin

Macintyre finally jumps in

It is not cheating, it is incompetence, that’s what it is, that’s what it is

Macintyre and the lads will be back on air on Saturday providing comprehensive coverage of St Johnstone’s visit to Hampden with a crowd of less than 20,000 expected.