In the 3-0 victory over Hearts there was one unifying topic in the thoughts of Celtic fans- Kevin Clancy.
Callum McGregor made a positive impact on his return, Viljami Sinisalo had a clean sheet to mark his SPFL Premiership debut bwhile the continuingly magnificent Daizen Maeda took his goal tally for the season to 30.
On the downside it was a shaky start from Celtic, the second half never really got started before it was over, there were batches of empty seats with the majority of fans on their way home by the time the player took their final bow.
Despite all that and an apparently routine 3-0 home win in the final stretch of the SPFL title race Clancy was trending online for a truly appalling performance- especially during the early stages of the match.
Unlike Alan Muir the Glasgow based official didn’t have one major ‘howler’, these days referees are more discreet in how they influence matches.
How else do you explain a 14-9 foul count with 71% possession?’ Celtic were in control of the game for more than two thirds of the match yet committed 50% more free-kicks than Hearts in the eyes of Clancy.
The tone was set very early, when the scores were level Hearts players fell on contact, Clancy awarded free kicks on demand.
That stopped Celtic from getting off to a fast start, broke up play with regular breaks and frustrated the home players and supporters.
Mission accomplished.
All things considered today, that was an absolutely appalling performance by the match official today .
No doubt he will be rewarded with a high level match before the end of the season. pic.twitter.com/QOFvw6qd8s— Highland__Paddy (@Highland__paddy) March 29, 2025
Clancy had his trademark apologetic face on as he awarded Hearts a procession of free kicks, opposing players know that their luck is in while the scores are level against Celtic.
Either fall over at the slightest contact or manufacture contact, hit the deck and you’ll instantly hear the soothing sound of the whistle.
Clancy isn’t the only one wise to this, against Hearts he took it to extremes with Cameron Carter-Vickers a particular victim.
Either side of Lockdown Clancy was one of the so-called elite referees but it is now almost two years since he was put in charge of a Glasgow Derby.
Nick Walsh got two of them last season, John Beaton has had two this season with just the post split match at Ibrox to go.
The first 20 minutes of the Hearts match looked like Clancy’s application to be in charge for that match, everything possible was done to disrupt Celtic without a major stand-out mistake. If he misses out on that fixture there is a good chance that David Dickinson, Matthew MacDermid or another of the emerging Collum Clones will be added to the rota next season.
Additionally Clancy and others know how to position themselves as an additional obstacle to Celtic’s passing game.
He had to show surprisingly nifty footwork to get out of the way as Arne Engels threaded the ball crossfield to Nicolas Kuhn in the build up to Celtic’s second goal.
As ever there will be no criticism of an SFA official from Celtic, the CEO quietly accepts anything thrown at the club in the knowledge that levelling up keeps the SPFL and the cherished O** F*** rivalry competitive.
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Horrific but predictable
— Highland__Paddy (@Highland__paddy) March 29, 2025
Putting aside all his mistakes and there were plenty he genuinely spoils every game by stopping play for any reason at all ! Games never finish on time with that bell end and no real flow to game
— Steven (@spamcrolla) March 30, 2025
From the very start he was appalling. The one where the hearts player fell in front of main stand assistant and handled the ball and Clancy gives them a free kick was probably the poorest of his decisions but so many to choose from.
— John Trainer (@jct62) March 29, 2025
Agree. Disgraceful
— Badger (@whiterat58) March 30, 2025
hearts best defender the incident in the 1st half where he got in the way on mcgregor i’m sure almost led to a chance for hearts
the positional sense of scottish referees is disgraceful— Mark Mullane (@mmullane75) March 30, 2025
It was atrocious ,unbelievable some of his descion s today
— Stkilda,13 (@13_stkilda) March 29, 2025
Kevin Clancy has had the most horrific 25 minutes of his career today & he still cannot stop Celtic leading 2-0.?
Someone needs to read the rules to this imbecile.????— Setanta’s Dog (@SetantaD) March 29, 2025
#CELHEA Have to admire Kevin Clancy’s creativity in finding a wide variety of different ways of awarding decisions to Hearts.
— ?TheOtherJohnMcDonnell? (@CarlJungleBhoy) March 29, 2025
26 minutes in and comfortable the worst refereeing performance of the season by Kevin Clancy.
Fuck knows what game he is watching here.
— CaI (@caim67) March 29, 2025
Any chance of Kevin Clancy getting subbed off? Absolutely inept.
— Heehaw (@Bagflea75) March 29, 2025
Kevin Clancy is dreadful. Already had enough of him blowing a foul every time two players come together and we’re not even ten minutes in.
— DF. (@DaveF0984) March 29, 2025
1 Comment
by Torky58
I thought we had a stonewall penalty denied by Clancy in the first half and at first I thought he’d given it as it looked like he’d pointed to the spot. I should’ve known better and he gives a free kick to Hearts and after watching the game back at home last night I still can’t see any infringement.
The guy’s a shockingly bad referee in a cesspit full of them and it’s why UEFA and FIFA never allow them to referee in big tournaments because they’re awful. The clubs have to see also that the SFA needs gutted from top to bottom they’re holding the game back and the longer they leave any sort of reform the further down the pecking order Scottish football is going to be.
I’m sick of seeing incompetence rewarded just to keep the establishment club relevant, sevco are close to another liquidation if this supposed “takeover” doesn’t happen and anyone with a developed brain knows this is all just pie in the sky from that idiot Keith Jackson, how he’s still employed is a mystery to me, he’s a complete walloper.