The Scottish football conspiracy theory has almost become a serious debate after James Tavernier scored his ninth penalty in 10 domestic games against Rangers on Saturday.
Opposition fans have been arguing for years with little evidence that the blue half of Glasgow make better refereeing decisions, especially from the spot. However, there is no need for a tinfoil hat to raise an eyebrow at the striking statistic that Rangers’ recent spot-kicks streak this season contrasts with their 71-game run in the Scottish Premiership without conceding a single goal.
Remarkably, this extends throughout the Var’s entire history in the Scottish Premiership. Since the technology was introduced on October 21 last year, Rangers have had 19 penalties in league and domestic cup matches without taking a single penalty from 12 yards. Rangers, on the other hand, conceded 4 penalties in the last 19 European matches.
’90. ‘Another Var decision goes Rangers’ way in minutes’
Tavernier’s final two efforts from 12 yards proved particularly frustrating for opposing teams. On Saturday, referee Kevin Clancy awarded a penalty to Dundee’s Aaron Donnelly for bringing down Abdallah Sima from a corner following a Var review. “I couldn’t really see what was happening,” said Dundee loan striker Amadou Bakayoko. “I actually didn’t look at it very well. But they always manage to get punished, don’t they? That’s one of the things that’s happening there.”
Dundee manager Tony Docherty was even harsher: “I’m very disappointed with the decision to award the penalty kick and Var’s involvement in it.” He added: “The footage presented to Kevin Clancy supports the awarding of the penalty but the reality is that there is movement in the box, Sima is grabbing Aaron Donnelly’s shirt and Kevin Clancy thinks this is normal. “It’s difficult because we re-evaluate matches. Kevin Clancy’s position “It’s good and it’s not a clear and obvious mistake. My problem is the image it’s shown.”
But the sense of doubt was even more heated three games ago when Rangers saved a last-minute point against Aberdeen to earn their eighth penalty in seven games. Rival manager Barry Robson was dazzling. “From my point of view, this does not look good, there is another Var decision in the 90th minute that goes in Rangers’ favor,” he said.
Var showed Stefan Gartenmann clearly tugging at Connor Goldson’s shirt, with pundits divided on whether the Rangers man then dived.
But Robson’s reaction – he added that “too many decisions were wrong in Scotland” – led some established figures in the game to suggest some concerns were justified.
🗣️ When Goldson falls, no one touches his shirt.”
🗣️ “A penalty for stupid shirt tugging but Goldson jumped.”
🗣️ “This is a penalty kick!”
Joe Lewis, Chris Sutton and Kris Boyd give their thoughts on the stoppage time penalty awarded to Rangers 👇 pic.twitter.com/PC2q68kVQc
— Sky Sports Scotland (@ScotlandSky) 26 November 2023
“It would not be an exaggeration to say there is a bias there,” BBC Scotland presenter Richard Gordon wrote in a column in the Press and Journal questioning Rangers’ long spell without penalty.
“I’m not suggesting that this is deliberate bias, that referees are deliberately ignoring things, but for whatever reason it’s clearly there.”
Gordon, a lifelong Aberdeen supporter who contributes to the club’s matchday programme, added: “How else can this remarkable statistic be explained, unless Rangers defenders are somehow far more disciplined than all their opponents?”
But others insist there are alternative explanations. Former Rangers defender John Brown claimed Robson used the penalty spot to put pressure on whoever takes the Viaplay Cup final when the two clubs meet again next weekend.
Former Old Firm derby referee Steve Conroy, meanwhile, was also weak in his assessment of the commentary, adding that persistent conspiracy theories had an insidious effect on confidence. “I know Celtic-Rangers can be provocative, but there’s a lot of bad feeling in the Aberdeen-Rangers game too – the last thing a manager needs is for him to come out and try to blame the referee for his own player making a mistake.” Conroy told Telegraph Sport. “This just fuels the flames. This is irresponsible behavior.”
But Robson and Aberdeen were not the first club to clear doubts; “Penalty Rangers” has become an increasingly common meme among opposing fans.
Just a few days ago, at Celtic’s AGM, Hoops chairman Peter Lawwell sparked a debate by saying: “The last time they did it, John Greig ran the ball.” [Rangers] he accepted”.
At the same meeting, the club’s chief executive Michael Nicholson made a similar dig when asked why Brendan Rodgers’ side had not conceded any penalties against St Mirren early last month, when Kyogo Furuhashi was beaten in the box by Mikael Mandron. “Penalty Rangers” was Nicholson’s response.
Where did conspiracy theory begin?
Steven Gerrard’s memorable refereeing tirade at the start of the 2018-19 season was pinpointed by conspiracy theorists as Scottish officials were pressured to start giving positive decisions to Rangers.
After Rangers striker Alfredo Morelos was sent off by referee Clancy, Gerrard was furious with the decision; He was also angry that Aberdeen defender Dominic Ball was not sent off for a foul in his own penalty area.
“It’s not just today, it’s been happening for some time,” Gerrard said, just three months after his appointment as manager. “This has been going on for a long time. I believe this has been going on for seasons. This is my opinion, just my opinion.
“This isn’t just today, I believe this has been happening for seasons. This is just my opinion. It seems as if the world is against us. I watched the footage. I don’t think we can achieve anything for us. Everything always seems to be about the Rangers so someone needs to answer me on this.
From that moment on, no other team in the Scottish Premier League was given as many penalties.
Are Rangers the only ones taking a lot of penalties?
In fact, it was January 2022 when the Rangers goalkeeper was put to the test from 12 yards, rather than during the gallant Greig era of the 1960-70s. Conroy, who described himself as a Celtic supporter after retiring in 2013, and data analysts point to the club’s record as one of the best teams in Scotland to make the long-term statement.
“Lies, damn lies and statistics,” Conroy said, quoting the phrase popularized in the United States by Mark Twain. “There is no way to prove that this is anything other than a statistical aberration. “Celtic and Rangers have generally decimated every other team in Scotland, so they will have more penalties and fewer penalties than other teams.”
Last season Celtic conceded just eight league penalties all season, while Rangers conceded 10, just behind Hearts on 11. StatsBomb’s Jaymes Monte published his own analysis of the X following the Aberdeen penalty, comparing penalties awarded to touches in the box.
“Rangers get a little more pen than average (based on touches in the box), but that’s not a big deal,” he concluded. “Aberdeen are also above the average line.” His figures show that Celtic and Hibernian are among the teams that could be ‘victimized’ if they fall below the average line according to his model.
‘People doubt I support Celtic because I gave them a penalty’
Conroy and Roddy Forsyth, BBC broadcaster and Scottish football correspondent for the Telegraph for 30 years, say the close-knit nature of Scottish football allows such conspiracies to take root very quickly. “Remember that Old Firm fansites are not rabbit holes, they are warrens and if you start going there you could be there forever,” Forsyth said. “Since the introduction of Var, there are now three additional field staff in the studio to the four. “If the rumor is true, that would mean a coach full of Rangers fans in charge of every SPFL fixture schedule!”
Conroy added: “There are some people who, no matter which side they fall on, will never be convinced that there is no conspiracy or collusion. He will never be put to bed. Even though I’m a Celtic fan, people doubt I’m telling the truth because I once dared to disallow a Celtic goal against Rangers. This is brought up over and over again. “I’m not a cheat and I don’t know anyone who cheats.”
Allegations of bias are nothing new. Referee John Beaton contacted police after being targeted with threatening messages online in 2019. Chris Sutton was also among the critics after unverified photos emerged of Beaton allegedly drinking in a Rangers bar.
But for Conroy, the prospect of stopping referees who support Rangers or Celtic from officiating in Old Firm derbies is not a solution. “I have no problem with a Celtic fan or a Rangers fan playing a Celtic-Rangers match,” the 56-year-old doctor said. “We are not cheats and we are a tiny country… you would lose half the referee population.”