OFFSET YOUR WORLD CUP TRAVEL WITH GREENERTRAVEL
Date: 29th May 2026
Timely support
By Donald C Stewart
Another week, another referee story in the newspapers and online.
This past week or so, the Scottish Senior Football Referees Association released a statement talking about irresponsible commentary. They claim some managers, clubs and sections of the media, have added to a toxic environment.
On top of that, unacceptable pitch invasions, which they say must never be accepted as the norm, are criticised – don’t think anyone suggested they should be. The safety of officials, their families and any of the players on the pitch at the time fans invade, leads them to an assertion that nobody should be subjected to this abuse, intimidation, or threat – again I am not sure anyone suggested they should be.
Reference to the leaking of private information which led to referee John Beaton having to have police protection, as his details were leaked by somebody, is made and that this conduct has no place in Scottish football or, interestingly, according to the SFA in society more generally.
Two thirds of that we can get on board with.
But here’s my problem, and one that, in the same BBC report, preceded the referee association’s statement. The video and audio released by the Scottish Football Association of the discussions that Don Robertson, referee of the Celtic /Hearts game, had, backs up their claim that he ended the match, and it was not abandoned. Apparently, Derek McInnes was consulted and agreed. The photograph of McInnes and Martin O’Neill seems to back that claim – the two managers are noting the end of the contest. But would they not do that out of courtesy if the match had also been abandoned? In Hearts’ statement, they claim the pitch invasion determined the end of the match.
I do not think anyone is fooled into thinking that the pitch invasion as irrelevant. Does “a” pitch invasion give supporters watching their team, get a late equaliser or the goal that puts them one in front with still a few minutes to go, put supporters in charge of the game? En masse if they run on to the pitch, thereby entering the field of play to celebrate, not put pressure on the referee to stop everything?
Whilst I try not to get too giddy at the thought of supporters having such an influence on football, it is not the type of influence supporters are after.
What course of action is being suggested by the authorities to punish such actions?
Should referees take players off the field in case there is any threat of harm to officials and/or players?
How do they protect the players who have just conceded?
And most importantly how do you not allow the mob to rule the roost and decide when a game should finish?
Should we take action against clubs who have allowed this to happen? Or warn spectators to get off the pitch, allow the game to restart, and if they don’t, that the match would be abandoned, giving the team who have just conceded a 3-0 win?
It is a difficult question as Tony Bloom, the Hearts shareholder, has said that his players were assaulted, whilst Martin O’Neill has said that this has not been proved. It could be argued that perhaps Martin O’Neill has one eye on a chair that he may be being asked to vacate and perhaps is looking to stay in it a wee bit longer by showing his allegiance to the faithful.
The fact is, and there is evidence out there, that intimidation or verbal assault was quite clear. Laurence Shankland seems to be held back from lamping someone. He is supposed to be one of our big hopes for the World Cup, having been one of the big standouts of the campaign to get us there. That doesn’t seem to go past one lug to another of any fan abusing him. I’m not suggesting that because Shankland is in the Scotland squad that he’s a special case. Nobody is a special case. Everybody should be protected from a mob mentality.
It was unacceptable for people to enter the field of play while the game was being played. I’m no hypocrite. When Ayr won at Airdrie and at Brechin City to gain promotion, on both occasions, I spilled onto the pitch. The second time I was a reporter, the first time I was a fan. I delighted in running up to Ryan Stevenson, along with many others He had no idea who we were, and I gave him a big hug. When I got there, I had no idea what I was going to say, and I think murmured something ridiculously stupid that made me sound like an 11-year-old. But the moment was very well made. It’s memorable. I even have a photograph of me and my daughter in the centre circle celebrating our promotion.
But it happened after the final whistle blew.
Very quickly, the fans were taken off the pitch by themselves. Stewards made sure that the Airdrie fans were not overly intimidated. In fact, the idea that an Airdrie fan would be intimidated does cause me some consternation, because I have always found them readily robust in looking after their own club. In fact, I’ve found almost every single fan base in the lower leagues readily robust. The ones that I often find are snowflakes are the ones who are guilty of an offence themselves and like to have some kind of faux outrage when they feel they are transgressed against.
But to be fair, the referees have a point. They’re now talking about taking action. It was 2010 the last time they took some sort of action. And I have to be honest, I not only have great sympathy, I would support them.
But that does have a caveat, as I explained last week. I think that they have to be able to be criticised. I think they have to be big enough to take it on the chin. I also think the SFA and the SPFL should be big enough to allow referees to come out and have a conversation, honestly and upfront with the media about decisions that have been made.
If you are releasing the audio, then it is quite clear that you fear less in terms of scrutiny than you appear to be protesting about. Perhaps big people can get round a big table and have a big conversation with their big pants on.
I don’t know.
What I do know is that it is becoming a taking sides game and beginning to fall into a melee of nonsense. Here’s hoping that somewhere along the line that there are sensible voices.
Scottish Football, what are the chances?
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Tags: #VAR, oor Donald, Refereeing, Scottish fans, SFA