Willie Collum is facing a nightmare start to the new SPFL Premiership season.
It is year three for ‘Honest Willie’ in charge of refereeing issues with standards falling rapidly.
Collum remains fiercely loyal to his old colleagues on the circuit while trying to fast track through a new batch of referees and VAR officials.
The new lot are simply Collum clones. Arrogant and dismissive of footballers, determined to be the star of the show.
Season 25/26 ended in absolute uproar as Celtic claimed the title on the final day.
The hoops overcame some ridiculous decision to claim the title.
Something that the clubs finishing second and third couldn’t cope with. In association with their moon-howlers in the Scottish media.
Nick Walsh, John Beaton, Don Robertson, Steven McLean, David Dickinson and Kevin Clancy are the elite. All long term pals of Collum. Not healthy but neither is Scottish refereeing.
Only Dickinson has still to be put in charge of a Glasgow Derby. The appointment that his loyal family dreams of.
The VAR list is equally troubling. Andrew Dallas and Greg Aitken are on full-time salaries, unmovable.
Collum has carefully been grooming Matthew MacDermid, Grant Irvine, Duncan Nicolson and Calum Scott. All have a trail of howlers on their record, not that it has impacted their progress towards the top.
— Celtic Gossip (@CelticGossip) May 14, 2026
THE CRISIS THAT WILLIE COLLUM CREATED
The new season starts in three days time.
The SFA are afraid to publish the match officials for the weekend.
This page is currently under construction in preparation for the new season. Please check back closer to the start of the season to find out the refereeing appointments.
Dundee United are at home to Derek McInnes’ side on Friday night with no word of who will be involved. No referee, VAR or assistant VAR.
McInnes is on a three man touchline ban but will be in the dug-out at Tannadice.
An appeal was made against the ban which was announced on July 22.
The SFA have conveniently been unable to schedule the appeal hearing before Friday July 31.
And why was McInnes given that touchline ban?
For describing a decision in a match he wasn’t involved in as disgusting.
Beaton awarded the penalty following intervention from Dallas on VAR when Celtic played away to Motherwell.
Led by Kris Boyd, McInnes let rip about his deepest feelings and suspicions.
He called the decision to award a penalty for the handball by Sam Nicholson as disgusting.
He brought in the previous match when Hearts drew at Motherwell. There was media outrage at McLean for not awarding Hearts a penalty.
Apparently Hearts were up against everyone in the title run-in.
“Definitely hits the hand.” Here is the proof that the officials were correct. Despite the protests of some, the right call was made. pic.twitter.com/w7f9gMamL8
— Michael (@MICKLE_M) May 29, 2026
REFEREEING OPTIONS DECREASE AS IBROX PARANOIA GOES INTO OVERDRIVE
In normal circumstances at least one of Beaton, McLean or Dallas would be involved in Friday’s match at Tannadice. They are trusted to deliver in this type of fixture.
There is good reason to suspect that Collum won’t want to further upset the new Ibrox manager.
On Saturday Hearts are away to Aberdeen. Does Collum have the minerals to appoint Dallas, McLean or Beaton for that fixture? Unlikely on all previous form from the Head of Refereeing.
At some stage Collum is going to have to get those three officials involved in a match for McInnes’ current side or his previous one.
Ibrox fans already have some incredible views on Walsh, Roberson and Clancy. Walsh works daily on the fitness of Murray Park starlets at Boclair Academy in Bearsden.
The maniacs on social and fan media will be on to it instantly.
Joined instantly and encouraged by Boyd, Andy Halliday and the chorus members.
Meanwhile we know that Celtic will just accept whatever is thrown their way in terms of refereeing.
From March 1 onwards Beaton was in charge of three Celtic SPFL matches.
He ‘missed’ three penalty claims, one in each match but was bailed out by VAR telling him to review the incidents pitch-side.
Those decisions follow a pattern for Beaton. A pattern dating back a decade.
DICKINSON, ROSS, ROBERTSON AND SCOTT- ALL GUILTY AT EASTER ROAD
The worst performance by officials all season was at Easter Road on May 3.
In no particular order Douglas Ross wrongly flagged offside for the opening goal by Daizen Maeda, the ball was cut-back.
Dickinson awarded a yellow card against Kieran McGrath for a brutal attack on Alistair Johnston. Following a VAR check a red card was issued.
Dickinson missed a double handball from Joe Newell as Hibs equalised. On VAR duty Robertson also decided to miss it.
Midway through the second half Ben Nygren was thrown off the pitch from inside the penalty box by Josh Campbell.
Dickinson and assistant referee Calum Spence saw nothing. Robertson didn’t bother reviewing it. Dickinson decided to book Liam Scales.
There was no media outcry.
Martin O’Neill didn’t call it disgusting. Boyd and Ally McCoist said nothing.
And of course there was the Matchday 38 offside flag against Daizen Maeda from David Roome.
There wasn’t remotely a hint of offside against any Celtic player.
Roome was hurting badly. He was encouraged into refereeing by his mate Bobby Madden.
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