Norris Cole

I'm Scottish. In cricket, 100 times out of 100 the team that has played the best cricket over the five days will win the Test. In rugby, 99 times out of 100 the team that has played the best rugby over the 80 minutes will win the match. Tennis - the same, ditto just about every other sport I can think of. Football at the highest level? You can be cheated out of something on the whim of an incompetent or corrupt official.

I'm not entirely sure McManus being out constitutes good news to be honest.

After tonight's shenanigans I do bloody hope so. Apparently Man Utd are Evens with Barca 8/11 favs.

Thought living in Bermuda you'd have been introduced to the game of kings, no?

The Goalie. This should barely even be up for discussion.

Just like last season's SPL, the 2009 Champions League is now tainted by incompetent/corrupt refereeing. It's officiating like that that means football will never be my favourite sport.

What makes you think it's the biggest game of the season Kyle?

Head says we'll battle for a draw. Heart says we'll trounce them 6-0, Papac and Dailly hat-tricks, 4 scum players sent off, chimp-on-chimp fighting in the Broomloan, and McGeady to break his bastardin legs.

In bookings.

May 6 2009 By Keith Jackson RANGERS are set to go to war with SPL bosses over a fixture row for the second season on the trot as the race for the title goes down to the wire. Record Sport understands the Ibrox club's hierarchy are seething over what they regard as the "grossly unfair" rescheduling of the third and fourth rounds of post-split matches - switches which will give Celtic's players an extra TWO DAYS resting time between games. And their anger was intensified yesterday when it was announced that manager Walter Smith's 'favourite' linesman Tom Murphy will be running the line for referee Craig Thomson at this Saturday's Judgment Day Old Firm derby. Smith launched an astonishing attack on Murphy in November after the official's offside decision denied Kris Boyd a late winner in a 0-0 draw at Fir Park. The Rangers boss was asked to explain his comments to the SFA after saying on the night: "It was a poor decision by the linesman. I think the TV replays show quite clearly that Kris was onside. "Mr Murphy was quick to allow a Scott McDonald goal at Celtic Park last season. And he was quick to disallow that one tonight. "And people always say we are the club who never get any decisions against us! "But that's two goals we have scored this season at Aberdeen and Motherwell that the linesmen have got wrong." Now Murphy will be under the spotlight again for the match which might decide the destiny of this year's title fight. But while Rangers are in no position to complain about Murphy's appointment, they HAVE contacted the league's top brass to demand an explanation as to why they have been forced into playing two crucial matches in the space of two and a half days next week. The simmering resentment comes 12 months after Smith blamed the SPL for wrecking his chances of a historic UEFA Cup triumph AND domestic title glory by forcing his men to play four games in eight days in an exhausting season finale. Now Rangers are furious again as they slug it out with Celtic once more. An SPL source confirmed to Record Sport last night that the Ibrox club's chief executive Martin Bain has expressed his outrage over the decision to make Rangers travel to face Hibs next Wednesday night - then have them back in action against Aberdeen little more than 60 hours later on Saturday lunchtime. Celtic, meanwhile, take on Dundee United at Parkhead on Tuesday night - but the champions will then have over 100 hours rest before they are next in action at Easter Road. Our source said: "Rangers are clearly unhappy about the way the games have been rescheduled for TV. "They feel aggrieved because Celtic have an extra couple of days off between these matches but it's been explained that this is simply down to an oversight."

We are going to get the square root of fuck-all on Saturday Bears.

Celtic v Rangers / 3-2 SPL / 28/04/08 McDonald in offside position. Rangers v Killie / 2-0 SPL / 01/12/2007 Boyd scored and flagged offside. Celtic v Falkirk / 1-1 CIS Cup (Falkirk won on Pens) 07/11/2006 O'Donnell scored and goal was ruled out for offside. Dundee Utd v Rangers / 2-2 CIS Cup (Rangers won on Pens) 16/03/08 JCD called offside when clearly pics show he was onside. Rangers v Celtic / 1-1 SPL / (Think this is the date ) 17/12/06 and from December 2006 - Rangers 1 - 1 Celtic The game's first controversial incident arrived on the half-hour mark when Prso, through on a Novo pass, was hauled down by Stephen McManus. Referee Kenny Clark immediately pointed to the spot, only for the decision to be reversed due to an offsidse flag from linesman Tom Murphy. Celtic v Hearts / 3-0 SPL / 16/10/2004 Various decision....Levein and Pressley spewing about Murphy. FURIOUS Hearts skipper Steven Pressley today claimed Celtic�s opening goal in the champions� 3-0 victory at Parkhead was offside. The 31-year-old insisted officials weren�t "brave" enough to rule out Henri Camara�s effort, the front man smashing home John Hartson�s knockdown four minutes from the interval to end stubborn resistance from the visitors and pave the way for a comfortable triumph. The Hearts players were convinced that the big Welshman was in an offside position as he moved on to Chris Sutton�s chip before chesting the ball into the path of his strike partner, their pleas ignored by referee Kenny Clark and stand side assistant Tom Murphy. Murphy, in fact, had earlier incensed Jambos boss Craig Levein by failing to flag for at least two similar decisions, the irate Tynecastle chief having to be ushered back to his technical area on a handful of occasions by harassed fourth official Steve Conroy. The lively Camara did have a 19th-minute header from Stilian Petrov�s free-kick chalked off but it was the officials� failure to rule out the front man�s later effort which prompted the normally reserved Pressley to speak out. "We tried to hold a very brave and good line at their first goal and I am convinced it was offside," he said. "You have got to be brave as a team when you play at Parkhead but if we are going to be brave and defend in that manner then we need the officials to be brave as well. "I think the linesman got the first goal wrong and it was very frustrating as we�d held a very good line on the 18-yard line. You have got to be that way at Parkhead but you also need the officials to be brave and make the right decisions. Celtic 1-1 Hearts / 1-1 SPL / 10/10/2005 Murphy gets Rudi Skacel booked from 50 yards away for leaving the pitch.....Now Scotland manager George Burley slates him next day. Burley attacked assistant referee Tom Murphy for signalling to referee Dougie McDonald from 50 yards away that Skacel had strayed over the touchline. "The ref was a yard away and didn't book him. How can the linesman see something from the half-way line? I think he must have had one stud off the pitch. It was a ridiculous decision." Full name...Thomas Hugh Murphy He was the main player heading up "Khenny Clark's" Testimonial Events.....he's the main contact for Clark's farewell dinner etc and other events obviously with him retiring this season. They might just be mates but we all know Mr Clark's persuasions so might be worth bearing this in mind. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Hearts 2-3 Celtic / SPL 01/01/2006.... Murphy it seems was the stand side assistant this day (same side I'm fairly sure where Andy Davis was positioned) Hearts were 2up before Septic won the match in injury time...Stephen McThug scored the winner. In the 1st half....Balde got booked for almost breaking someone in 2 bits....only after umpteen fouls in Murphys area of the field. In the 2nd half....Fyssas was shown a Red Card for hauling down Sean Maloney...classed as last man in that area of the field. I'll see if I can locate the footabe anywhere....he didnt actually touch Maloney from memory bit slid along the turf and Maloney played him for it. McManus scored the winner in the 91/92min and jumped straight into the Septic fans behind the goal whilst already on a Yellow card.....Considering Mr Murphy insisted on Rudi Skacel being booked from 50 yards away at Torbett Towers on my previous mail he didnt seem to rush for another booking for McThug ?!! Apparently Maloney was eventually booked for jumping into the fans behind the goal but not McThug.....but BBC Sport dont have him down as being booked. Heres the London Hearts report. http://www.londonhearts.com/scores/mrep/20060101022.htm

UEFA have apparently said only cases of mistaken identity can be used to revoke a card. So he'll miss the final. Which is grossly unfair given all he has done to get them there, but looking at it from another point of view, if he had his card revoked it would set a precedent and you'd be seeing appeals every week. Feel sorry for the guy though. It's not often we see a Scotsman playing in a Champions League final (Dumbert the last?). Think he was left on the bench for last year's final as well. Life's a bitch eh? and then you marry one

The CL is one of the most boring sporting tournaments out there - the same teams year in year out. On the other hand, Man Utd v Chelsea would have a terrific subplot. Most players - particularly at Chelsea - who played in Moscow are still there. A chance for Terry, Lampard and co to finally get their hands on the holy grail, or will Sir Alex make it 3 in a decade... The trick is to worry about the Rangers and not go adopting an English side. If I was going to follow an English side's results it'd be a second rate mob like Preston or Wolves. The Top 4 =

Or we could just ban the fuckers for wrecking the place last week. Again.

I noticed on one of the youtube videos one of the commandos was giving it the pumped fist towards the Hearts fans, before turning away and applauding the Bears.

He was. It was a shocking decision.

To be honest I don't need statistics to know that the POTY was decided back in August. The press had to justify �£4m and �£25k a week somehow.

They have no more right to a day out in the sun than we do. I know what you're saying, but I just can't look at it like that. I want to win every competition we go into (even the Champions League:D).

Pity that, was really looking forward to a contest, some drama, maybe a bit of ET/pens. As it is I stopped watching after the second goal (11mins).

Well, well, well, there it is in black and white.

They really don't have a clue do they. Incidentally I've always said priority should be given to those who purchased semi-final tickets. It'd never happen though, because it's too much like common sense.

I agree Craig. We can wax lyrical about how our players are better than theirs as much as we like, but its meaningless unless they show on the day they have the big game mentality. The likes of Thommo and Novo have it, but I'm not as convinced with Mendes and Davis, good as they have been for us this season. I remember watching the 0-1 game at Ibrox this season, and particularly the cup final in March, and thinking: What the fuck is this? We shall see.

I certainly wouldn't be disappointed with that line-up. The way Mendes has been performing of late, it would be worth moving Davis into his preferred position in the middle with someone like Novo (NOT Miller) out wide.