Stephen Robinson’s response to Celtic’s triumph over St Mirren, particularly his outrage at the disallowed Liam Scales own goal, has become somewhat embarrassing in light of the most recent expert judgments.
The St Mirren boss was incensed after the game, ranting about the officials’ decision to write off what would have been an equaliser during the Buddies’ loss in Paisley. He suggested that referees would “come up with a reason” to justify the judgment, implying that Celtic had profited unfairly.
However, former Celtic striker Chris Sutton quickly refuted those claims, stating that the call was entirely correct and that Robinson was “talking rubbish.” Sutton wasn’t alone; even Kris Boyd, who rarely agrees with Celtic beliefs, denied conspiracy theories and strongly thought the offside call was correct.
Mark Clattenburg, a former FIFA referee, has now weighed in, and his opinion makes Robinson’s post-match rage seem even more unjustified. Speaking exclusively to 67 Hail Hail, Clattenburg explained why the officials were correct to interfere.
According to Clattenburg, when the original pass was made forward, a St Mirren player was clearly offside and deliberately attempted to play the ball. Crucially, he was near enough to the Celtic defense to affect his handling of the situation. According to Clattenburg, this interference means that the defender’s attempt to play the ball, which resulted in the own goal, cannot be considered on its own. The game’s rules require that the flag be raised.
In Clattenburg’s words, “a player in an offside position made a clear attempt to play the ball, was close to the defender, and interfered with his ability to play it.” The officials had no choice but to throw the goal out.
That makes three different voices — Sutton, Boyd, and now Clattenburg — all claiming that Robinson’s concerns were unfounded and that the St Mirren manager got this one wrong. With the dust settles, his earlier statements appear to be frustration more than genuine criticism.
St Mirren now face a challenging trip to Easter Road, where Hibs will be waiting following their recent 2-0 victory over Dundee. Meanwhile, Celtic prepare for their forthcoming home match against Hearts, which promises to be a significant December confrontation.
Clattenburg, who has no ties to the SFA or the Scottish game, provided an objective, rules-based answer, thereby dismissing Robinson’s charges.
xz
