ian1964

You are correct though

I knew it wasn't me,I just wasn't sure who you were aiming it at

WOULD-BE Rangers supremo Craig Whyte has been ordered to stay away from Ibrox for tonight's Battle of Britain showdown with Manchester United. Record Sport understands the Scottish billionaire and London-based property developer Andrew Ellis - who are locked in buy-out talks with majority shareholder Sir David Murray - have been forced to scrap plans to jet into Glasgow for the Champions League tie after a day of fraught legal discussions. Whyte and Ellis had hoped to arrive in Scotland at around lunchtime today to meet with club board members for the first time before watching Walter Smith's men take on English giants United in a mouth-watering Group C clash. But their plans bit the dust late last night after their lawyers were advised senior Rangers sources considered it would be "inappropriate" for the pair to be seen inside the stadium at such a sensitive stage in their �£32million takeover bid. Under the strict stockmarket code, Whyte and Ellis will only be given the green light to open formal talks with chairman Alastair Johnston AFTER they have shaken hands with Murray on a deal. However, no agreement has yet been struck and, despite the determination of Whyte and Ellis to press the flesh, Johnston has remained in the United States with no intention of attending tonight's big game at Ibrox . Rescue A seemingly sceptical Johnston adopted an aggressive public approach earlier this year when Ellis first failed to push through a planned rescue package for the stricken SPL champs. He repeatedly insisted that he would be willing to fly across the Atlantic at one or two days' notice to begin face-to-face talks. Last night a frustrated Ellis confirmed to Record Sport that he would not be attending the European clash with Sir Alex Ferguson's side. And he expressed his disappointment at missing out on both the game and the chance to meet with the Ibrox directors. Ellis said: "Craig and I had cleared our diaries and were very excited about the prospect of spending a couple of days in Glasgow . "We are very disappointed that we will now not be able to take in the match and meet with the directors. "I was obviously very much looking forward to meeting Alastair in particular." http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/football/spl/2010/11/24/rangers-hit-would-be-owner-craig-whyte-with-big-match-ban-86908-22736151/

By Gary McDaniel So it has come to this, our referees have decided that enough is enough and they're taking strike action in demonstration as to the constant flack they have been subjected to recently. I say good on them. Celtic chairman, John Reid, is without doubt the Keith Flint-esk firestarter who has been regularly stoking the flames on the burning issue of referees, especially Dougie MacDonald. Mr Reid is adamant heads should role as the heinous crime of a lie has been told to their manager Neil Lennon and the SFA match observer. Now I don't condone lying and I�m sure as his time as a politician John Reid would never condone such a thing............. Oh hold on wasn't he a member of the Blairite New Labour party which was built on the foundation of spin? Wasn't he once a prominent member of our government's cabinet? Let us remember that John Reid was part of one of the biggest lies in our country's recent history in the run-up to the war in Iraq. He was privy to information of claims of 45 minute warnings and weapons of mass destruction, which all turned out to be a load of nonsense but yet thousands of Iraqi's lost their lives and many of our troops were killed, all for what? We were then told that the removal of Saddam Hussein was part of the plan, didn't remember being said on the run-up to war? Change of story there, doesn't that sound familiar? He was part of a government which deviously set about ditching bad news on the day of 9/11. Ok he wasn't directly involved in that but that all stemmed from the culture being set by the party he was a member of. So how many heads rolled after the PR disaster which was the Iraq war cover-up? Erm one, namely a Dr David Kelly who took his own life. Now Mr John Reid wishes to see P45s issued within the SFA and to Dougie MacDonald over the Tannadice incident? A lie, which I agree was stupid, but which was taken without real thought. A decision which in essence did not have any real effect on the outcome of the game in Dundee. Compare that to Reid's political decisions in the past. Yes, he has a cheek to sit in Parkhead and believe he has the moral high ground. I have a lot of respect for Celtic Football Club and many of their fans for what they have done for Scottish football. Their achievements abroad. The behaviour of their fans when following their team in Europe over the decades. For me though, the likes of John Reid and Peter Lawell are tarnishing that image. I would have more respect for them if they cleared the smokescreen and laid their cards on the table and openly admitted that they believe that there is a valid question about the integrity of Scottish referees. I might not agree with them but I would respect their bluntness. I've been over this ground in a previous post about referees but we seem to forget how invaluable they are to our game and the fact that, like us, they are human beings. They are committed to the job and have taken up the call in which the vast majority of us wouldn't touch with a barge pole. They face, not just stick from managers and players, but also from fans whose abuse is much more colourful. Who in their right mind would run the line and suffer constant verbal attacks from fans questioning their integrity, their eyesight but also the much more darker issues of having their sexuality questioned, members of their family verbally abused and threats to their personal safety? Imagine its like a taxi driver having every fare in his cab hurling abuse at him or a call centre worker being told were to stick their double glazing on a regular basis. You would pack it in after a while for your own sanity. We now live in a culture were football referees are now constantly in the spot light. Many ex-referees are TV pundits or have their own columns in national newspapers. This didn't happen 20 years ago. We are fascinated by officials and the decisions they make. It frustrates us and it annoys us but we accept, well I do, that they have taken an honest decision in relation to an incident. We have a situation in which players earn thousands or millions of pounds. They have the life style they desire, the house they dreamed of, the sports car they sought after and the eye candy on their arm they thought was never possible when they were a plukey wee pubescent teenager. They virtually do what they want. They can demand more money and sign up to lucrative sponsorship deals. But when they run out onto a football pitch and have a referee blow the whistle and tell them its not a penalty, they blow their top. How dare this authoritarian weasel that I have no respect for tell me I'm wrong. Let us all remember players and managers never get it wrong? They never lie or cheat? No no never. Yet their behaviour is never regularly punished by their club. A manager rarely criticises one of his players for diving to get a penalty. They never take action when their players hound match officials to get an opposing player red carded. No its all accepted as part of the game. Referees are demonised by many quarters from within the game but we also forget the other role in which referees play. Not only do they have to judge if a player has dived or feigning injury but they are there to protect the players. It is the job of the man in black to blow the whistle and ask for urgent attention for a player who has a head knock. It is them who decide when a pitch is unplayable and is threatening the well being of those playing on it. It is them who red card a player, not to annoy a manager or fans, but to punish a player for recklessness which could threaten the career of an opponent. We sometimes forget that. We have also heard calls for referees to reveal the team's they support. What a load of nonsense. Which referee would put their career at risk by revealing that they support one of the top clubs in this country? For example how could they excel in the profession if they were forced to reveal they supported one half of the old firm? They wouldn't get on the UEFA or FIFA list to officiate top international or Champions League games as they hadn't been able to referee a top SPL match due to their integrity being questioned. They are professional and wouldn't wish to put their career in jeopardy. Do we do the same when a former Celtic player returns to Parkhead? Like when Henrik Larsson scored for Barcelona in front of his adoring fans? No he's a footballer doing the job he is employed to do, no matter the opposition. Imagine that in the last game of the season Celtic need to beat Aberdeen for the title and it's late in the game, finely poised at 2-1 in favour of Celtic. The Dons have a corner which lands at the feet of Zander Diamond (a well known supporter of his bhoyhood heroes) who is in front of goal 6 yards out. He skies is shot over the bar and the final whistle blows. Would we suggest he did it deliberately? Make-up your own mind, but I would hope he just fluffed his lines. So what does the future hold? Well I don't think Celtic will give up on this issue lightly until a certain few go through the exit door at Hampden. What makes this whole episode ironic is that you could say that while this whole issue has blown up, Celtic's performances on the field have suffered. Has Neil Lennon's focus been distracted? What you may find is that in the end Celtic may have scored an own goal by allowing an ever increasingly tired and threadbare Rangers' side remain top of the SPL. http://www.theawayend.net/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=468%3Athe-hypocrisy-of-john-reid&catid=59%3Agary-mcdaniel&Itemid=119

The SFA spent the evening in talks with referees' representatives and declared themselves optimistic that the strike could be averted The Scottish FA has set a Thursday deadline to avert a refereeing strike, before they implement a contingency plan that involves parachuting officials in from other countries. Referees have voted to withdraw labour amid concerns at abuse levels and what they perceive as the unfair questioning of their integrity. Talks were held between referees' representatives and the SFA tonight in an attempt by the governing body to avoid the strike, which would put matches at risk of postponement. "We are hopeful that, if we can resolve the current issues that the referees have, then our own referees will be taking to the field," said Stewart Regan, the SFA's chief executive. "If not, then we will be preparing a contingency plan to implement by Thursday of this week." Regan said it was "our intention" to have Scottish officials in charge of SPL matches but foreign associations will be contacted as a back-up. The contingency plan has met with its own troubles, though; Icelandic referees have said they will not step into any breach, with cool initial responses also received from Wales and Ireland. "We will support our colleagues in Scotland," said the Icelandic referee Kristinn Jakobsson. "The referees all around the world is one team, so I think we are going on the same line." Regan moved to distance himself from any suggestion that referees could be forced to declare allegiances to any one team when taking up officiating. The move had received provisional backing from the Celtic chairman, John Reid. "Comments like that aren't particularly helpful," Regan added. "It's very difficult to justify why you would ask somebody to do that. We are hopeful that talks will be fruitful this week and they can officiate at matches at the weekend. We are hopeful that we can come to a satisfactory conclusion. "It [the strike] appears to be about making a stand and withdrawing labour for the weekend but we are hopeful that, if we can give them assurances about support going forward, we can get them to rescind that decision." The implementation of a referees' charter, with rules laid down for both clubs and officials, could form part of that action. Regan refused directly to implicate Celtic, who have been involved in an ongoing battle with officialdom, in the current row. He did, though, point to wider factors in this controversy. "Clearly there are sectarian issues at play," Regan said. "I think that's something that has been around for a long time and its naive to think that can be removed overnight. There are a lot of efforts by many people to change the culture. This is a cultural issue, it's deep-rooted and will take time to change." Meanwhile the Scottish referee Craig Thomson took charge of tonight's Champions League tie between Ajax and Real Madrid in Amsterdam. http://www.u.tv/Sport/Scottish-FA-sets-Thursday-deadline-over-refereeing-strike/96daa9c0-2db8-4ecf-94d8-959bcb3a7eaa

RANGERS supporters have been warned UEFA are ready to pounce on them again if there is any singing of the Billy Boys, or any sectarian chanting, at the match against Manchester United. Chief executive Martin Bain has made it clear he has inside knowledge that UEFA are on Rangers' case again. And his warning comes just a week after he was taken to task by Odious Creep - in a downright lie - for not speaking out against what Creep wrote in the Times of London's Scottish edition, was becoming a problem again for Rangers. A coincidence perhaps. Creep wrote his latest lie about Rangers, despite the fact Bain spoke out about the problem, and about his plans to curb it, in reply to complaints voiced by Rangers supporters at the AGM. The Rangers chief executive was quoted in just about every paper in the country. But then again, maybe Creep believes reading the papers is beneath his dignity. However, most people in the press pack know there is no relationship between Creep and the truth when it comes to him putting the boot into Rangers. There is, though, a close and personal relationship between Creep and any UEFA spotlight being shone on Rangers and the songs their supporters sing, some of which have no place in the 21st century. Such a relationship does not exist between Creep and the authorities regarding the terrorist supporting songs belted out, and banners unfurled, by the lunatic fringe of zealots from Celtic's increasing out of control Green Brigade. And what better time is there for Celtic to have attention diverted away from the problems they are having with their fans, and the part they are playing in the current crisis engulfing Scottish football? Another coincidence? So, if there is a cheep of the Billy Boys from the Rangers support, or one single chant which could be described as sectarian when Manchester United are at Ibrox, you can be sure Creep will hear it. He may miss a goal, a red card, or any other important part of his mandate to report on a Champions League football match, but he will hear what he wants to hear, just as surely as he has never heard Celtic supporters singing any terrorist songs, or seen any of their banners, like a flying column in support of the IRA. Of course Bain did not spell out exactly what he had been told, but a quote on the official Rangers website from a senior police officer made it clear the police will be on zero tolerance alert. Now I know the match commander at Ibrox is not the same senior officer who is the match commander at Parkhead. But they are both senior officers in the Strathclyde Force. So, presumably, zero tolerance on offensive - whether of a sectarian or terrorist nature - chanting inside football grounds is the police policy across the Strathclyde Force, and the same warning will be issued before Celtic's next game within the Strathclyde area. However, that does not alter the UEFA involvement regarding Rangers, and the danger UEFA present to the Scottish champions. For UEFA is of the few areas in football where Odious Creep has some contacts and holds some sway. Which is why Rangers supporters should take careful note of what Bain is telling them, and confine their singing to football songs, plus any other songs they feel comfortable belting out, which cannot ever be described as sectarian. The police are watching. UEFA are watching too. And all the time, the Times of London's Scottish edition district man, Odious Creep, is listening. http://leggoland2.blogspot.com/2010/11/rangers-enemies-ready-to-pounce.html

Who's that aimed at Barry??

ha ha,quality.......................

It was rumoured the last time he pulled out at the last minute,the other players were turning a bit against him,RUMOURS!!!!

Chelski 0-1 down at home:p

Do Manure not have a wee ditty to the same tune???,if they sing it will the POLIS move in and arrest them??

--------------------------McGregor-------------------------- Whittaker------Webster---------Weir------------Broadfoot ----------------------------McCulloch--------------------------- Weiss------------Davis------------Naismith-------Lafferty ---------------------------Miller------------------------------- I'll go for this team

Funny listening http://www.realradio-scotland.co.uk/player/listen-live/h48fjksz/

40/1 http://sports.ladbrokes.com/en-gb/football/european/rangers-vs-manchester-utd-e214585569-m218690847

40/1 with Ladbrokes

50/1 with Ladbrokes:)

Still a long time until k-off,he'll pull out of the game due to an eye lash strain:)

THE problem the Scottish Football Association is having with referees at the moment can be traced back a mere nine months to their feeble reaction to an incredible claim on the official Celtic website. You may recall that less than two hours after Rangers had won the Old Firm game at Ibrox in February, in a match which saw the Parkhead captain Scott Brown sent off, the official Celtic website made an astonishing attack on the referee. It claimed no fair minded person could agree the sending off of Brown was the correct decision. The clear implication was the referee was not a fair minded person. The further implication being that he was biased. Yet, when the matter was referred to the SFA's General Purposes Committee,it led to the SFA giving Celtic no more than a slap on the wrist, in the form of a censure. It was hardly the sort of defence a referee deserved from the SFA, and perhaps there was resentment among officials at the lenient way Celtic were dealt with. At the time I felt the SFA decision was tantamount to sparing the rod and spoiling the child. Or, to put it another way, giving an inch which would soon become a mile. However, that was not the first time Celtic appeared to have been indulged by the SFA in recent years. When Hugh Dallas was felled and bloodied by a missile, to the extent that his wound needed stitching, the men in charge of the SFA at the time felt the offence was serious enough to warrant a substantial fine. However, by the time Fernando Ricksen was also battered by a missile and also needed a wound stitched, the SFA appeared to have lost its grip. A slap on the wrist was all that followed, despite the previous. At the time surely stronger action was needed to lay down a marker. Perhaps an order to close the ground for a couple of matches - suspended for five years - was the way to head off any more trouble. People who heaped ridicule on such a suggestion were noticeably quieter just two years later when the Rangers doctor became the latest victim of the missile throwers inside Parkhead. Much of what has followed - and which has climaxed in the refereeing strike - has appeared to take root in a support which gives every sign of being out of control. Two years ago on Remembrance weekend the Green Brigade staged a protest against Celtic wearing a Poppy on their strips. The protest was inside Parkhead in the exact same area of the same stand where the Bloodstained Poppy banner was raised this month. Surely therefore, nobody inside Celtic should have been surprised the Green Brigade - a group many may believe the club has over-indulged - should have staged some sort of protest. Last Saturday there was more bother in the same section of the stand, and Celtic chairman the Baron Reid of Cardowan, was the subject of more hate filled banners. And that despite some harsh words spoken by the Baron Reid of Cardowan regarding the SFA at the Celtic AGM. It seems it is impossible for anyone inside Celtic to go far enough to satisfy the zealots and extremists who have attached themselves to the club. Yet there are still some media outlets who would have people believe the strike action being taken by referees has been prompted by a number of actions by a number of clubs, their managers, players and supporters. In fact, any of these run-of-the-mill confrontations which have taken place in recent weeks and months have been no more than we have witnessed over the years, and are what referees regard as usual. What has been unusual has been the perception of a campaign to get rid of Hugh Dallas, undermine the SFA and create anarchy, which has many Celtic supporters whipping themselves into a lathered frenzy. There was even a letter to UEFA from one Celtic supporter begging for intervention. A supplication which was quickly kicked into touch by that higher authority. Does that make UEFA party to a great conspiracy? Goodness knows what they think about what's going on in Scottish football. Maybe the Eurocrats are having a sly wee snigger behind their hands at the way Celtic supporters are ranting. But surely there is somebody within UEFA who can see the danger, and who can have a quiet word with the Baron Reid of Cardowan and ask him to try and calm Celtic supporters before some extremist and zealot commits one of act of madness which even the recently supine Scottish Football Assocation cannot dismiss with a mere censure. http://leggoland2.blogspot.com/

Can't see Fleck coming in there Craig,I think Lafferty may play as well as Weiss, and Naismith maybe playing more central

United will take on Rangers on Wednesday night without the club's first-choice centre-backs. Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic have been successfully re-united at the heart of the Reds' defence in recent weeks, starting together in all bar one of the last six games - the exception being Bursaspor away when it was deemed advisable for Rio to avoid the four-hour flight. Now Ferdinand will miss another Champions League match, as will his Serbian sidekick following Sir Alex Ferguson's decision to rest the pair and place his trust in the likes of Chris Smalling and Jonny Evans. Ferdinand and Vidic, who both trained at Carrington on Tuesday morning, have missed the same game on just one previous occasion this season - the 3-2 Carling Cup victory at home to Wolves, when Smalling and Evans played the full 90 minutes in tandem. Look out for quotes from Sir Alex and further team news following his pre-match press conference at 16:30 this afternoon (Tuesday). Absentees from training on Tuesday included Darren Fletcher, Darron Gibson, Gary Neville, Owen Hargreaves and Michael Owen. It's a CONSPIRACY:grin: http://www.manutd.com/default.sps?pagegid={F9E570E6-407E-44BC-800F-4A3110258114}&newsid=6653579

On now,discussion http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/console/bbc_radio_scotland

I'll probably change my mind as the kick off draws nearer and fancy a sneaky wee win:p

I think our form has slumped the last few weeks shipping a lot of soft goals and also Bougherra will be a big loss,I hope you're right though,but I just can't see it

MANCHESTER UNITED are the only reason Sir Alex Ferguson never became boss of boyhood heroes Rangers. Ferguson turned down the chance to take over at Ibrox when he was at Aberdeen and his pal Alex McLeish claims it was because he had his eyes on the United job. Govan-born Fergie returns home to Gers tomorrow in the Champions League and McLeish - who played under him in the all-conquering Dons side 30 years ago - claims the club still has a place in his heart. He said: "Alex declined the chance to manage Rangers - but that was only for one reason. Even then he had this big vision of going to England and managing Manchester United. "Rangers weren't the only club he declined at that time. There was Arsenal and Tottenham too. "In my opinion, the boss was waiting for one club and one club only - United. The rest is history." McLeish was Gers boss when United won 1-0 at Ibrox in the Champions League seven years ago thanks to a Phil Neville strike. Big Eck remembers seeing the twinkle in Fergie's eye as he sat in his office after the game, reliving his days as a supporter and then a player at the club. McLeish, now boss at league rivals Birmingham, said: "Sir Alex still has a soft spot for Rangers after all these years. He loves walking into Ibrox and being inside. "I still remember him coming into my office when we played them in the Champions League seven years ago. "There was quite a big entourage in the of f ice that night. I can remember Andy Roxburgh being there, too. "But Sir Alex was holding court and he loved every minute of it. He was so pleased to be in the Rangers manager's office having a drink and a laugh. "It was good to see him walking through the door, even if the result hadn't been so good for us." And McLeish won't rule out a place in the Champions League last-16 for Rangers. It would take a shock win over Manchester United at Ibrox for that landmark to be reached but Big Eck thinks that's possible. And he's convinced Walter Smith has got better attacking options now than he had when he took his side to Manchester for the 2008 UEFA Cup Final. He said: "You look back on that time and realise that Rangers maybe didn't have all that much going for them in an attack. "There wasn't a huge threat about them going forward but I think Walter has come up with a way now where they can make chances." Rangers only scored five goals in eight matches on the way to the final against Zenit St. Petersburg and needed a penalty shoot-out in the match against Fiorentina to make the journey to Manchester. But McLeish sees greater all round strength about them now. He said: "Defensively speaking, Walter's got them looking sound. They lost plenty of goals in the Champions league last season but, apart from the last 20 minutes of the game against Valencia in Spain, that's not been the case this time. "That's why, looking in from the outside, I think they have a real chance against United. "I always thought they had a chance of pipping Valencia into the last-16 and if they beat United you never know what might happen. "I wouldn't rule that out by any means. If it does happen Rangers will have a great chance in the final game in Turkey against Bursaspor, especially since Valencia have to go to Old Trafford when United may need a win to qualify." Rangers' home form in the Champions League this season has increased McLeish's belief that the team, and the fans, could be in for a memorable night against the man who keeps Govan on the map from a Lancashire base. Eck said: "Rangers have been really good in their games against Bursaspor and Valencia. Walter's come up with a formula that suits the players at his disposal. "Not only does it work for them defensively, but they're making an impact going forward and look far more potent now." Despite Fergie's feelings for Rangers, he'll be focused on taking full points and defender Patrice Evra claims United want to wrap up qualification before their final game against Valencia. United play Arsenal six days later at Old Trafford and Evra claims they do not want to play Valencia, needing a result to go through. United require just a point at Ibrox to make the last 16 and Evra is confident they can cope with the hostile atmosphere. He said: "Our aim is to make sure that by the time we play Valencia we will have already qualified. "But that won't be easy. We know that it will be a big occasion for Rangers. The Scottish fans will make so much noise."

Nov 23 2010 Keith Jackson One of Scotland's best Oever referees last night launched a blistering double blast at Celtic and the SFA for dragging the Scottish game to the point of crisis. Former top-class whistler Brian McGinlay - rated by many as the finest official the country has produced - waded into the scandal which has engulfed football as emergency talks were being scrambled in a bid to avoid this weekend's top-flight fixtures being scrapped. McGinlay blames the Parkhead club for launching a concerted campaign against the country's refs and whipping up a frenzy by calling into question their honesty and integrity. And he believes cowardly top brass at Hampden are every bit as culpable for failing to stand up for their men in the face of Celtic's repeated innuendos. And he insists the entire furore is rooted in the West of Scotland's culture of religious intolerance. But while McGinlay has nothing but sympathy for today's under-fire officials he also insists they are wrong to threaten the strike action which looks set to bring the game to a standstill. He said: "In all my years in the game I have never known anything like this. It's a complete shambles and I really have no idea how it is going to be resolved. "Celtic started it but the SFA have done nothing to defend or protect their own referees. I can understand why the guys feel so angry and let down but this situation is to no one's benefit and I don't honestly think a strike is going to do it much good. "In fact, I had a wry laugh when I saw the weather forecast for this weekend - minus 10 and blizzards to hit the West Coast of Scotland? Perhaps George Peat's prayers have been answered." SFA president Peat finally broke cover yesterday morning as Scottish football entered its meltdown moment. By mid-afternoon, he was involved in full-scale emergency talks with chief executive Stewart Regan. But as far as McGinlay is concerned it was all too little too late. He said: "What must have disappointed the referees is the fact these attacks have been allowed to go on and on unchecked by anyone at Hampden. "You can feel a bit of sympathy for Regan because he's only just in the job and must already be wishing he was back at his cricket club in Yorkshire. "But I'm disappointed the president has sat there watching this and saying nothing. I have heard he's been ill recently but he certainly looked hale and hearty on my telly doing the Scottish Cup draw earlier today. So why has he sat back and said nothing for so long? "The SFA have a responsibility to protect their referees but it's been total silence. Even Hugh Dallas - the one guy you'd expect to come out in defence of the refs - has done nothing because he's been too busy covering his own back. "Now we find ourselves in this situation and I don't know how it will be resolved. It's gone too far now and these attacks have gone unchecked for too long." McGinlay believes one club above all others has been guilty of relentlessly going after the men in the middle - ever since the Dougie McDonald debacle at Dundee United five weeks ago. He said: "You could put Celtic up on a charge of bringing the game into disrepute but that would probably result in making the already aggrieved feel even more aggrieved. "But this situation has certainly not been helped by Celtic's behaviour and their continuously demanding explanation after explanation. I'm very surprised the chairman Dr John Reid - a man who spent a career working at the heart of British society in the House of Commons - has said what he's said. "He didn't quite go all the way but he came as near as to saying that Celtic are discriminated against and that his club has had decisions made against it all through the years. "That does nothing to help the majority of Celtic fans who had already convinced themselves this was true in the first place. One of my next door neighbours and best friends is a Celtic fan. He's totally sane and sensible until it comes to two o'clock on a Saturday. He's one of the few people in the country who still thinks it was a penalty at Tannadice and can't be convinced otherwise. "That's the problem we face in the West of Scotland. It's a deeply ingrained thing. You can kid on to yourself that religion isn't a deep-rooted part of all this but it is. It's a West of Scotland problem more than it is a football problem. It always has been. "There is no doubt about it. Celtic believe there is an institutionalised bias against their club but I can honestly say I have never seen any kind of evidence that would back this up. "Never in my life have I seen anything as vociferous as what is coming out of Celtic Park at the moment. The ultimate insult for any referee is to have his integrity questioned or to suggest there is a sinister reason behind his decisions. I'd have been very annoyed had anyone levelled that at me so I can see why the referees are angry enough to go on strike. "These are terrible accusations that are being made and the people at the SFA should have done something about it long before now." McGinlay is adamant there is no basis to the conspiracy theories which hang over our game like a bad smell. But he believes Celtic won't let up until both McDonald and Dallas are out of work. He said: "In my time I was never accused by anyone of being part of a conspiracy. But the climate has changed recently and I honestly don't know why. "It obviously all stems from the incident in the Dundee United-Celtic game. But at the end of the day the correct decision was made. Only in Scotland could we reach the point of meltdown because a referee got a decision right! "The problem was the referee and the linesman were trying to come up with an explanation which would have been deemed acceptable by the assessor. "But when you watch the replays you can clearly see Dougie McDonald saying, 'It's my mistake'. He knew he'd got it wrong and changed his decision. But from that moment the whole saga has gone on and on. "I can't understand why Celtic can get so upset about what you might call a white lie. Football is full of lies. Managers lie about team selections and injuries on a day-to-day basis. "Over the years clubs have lied about attendances. I'd referee games and think there were about 80,000 in the stadium then go home and find out there were only 31,000. It's gone on for years and years. "So I can't see why Celtic have taken such offence at this supposed lie. I watched them against St Mirren the other week and then heard Neil Lennon calling his team world-beaters. "He must have been the only bloke on the planet who thought his team were world-beaters that day. Or was that a lie to try to appease the Celtic support? "The fact Celtic have kept this going for so long has made life hard for everybody. I don't think there will be satisfaction in the east end of the city until both McDonald and Dallas are gone. It's not one head they want - it's two. "So how on earth this is going to be resolved I do not know." http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/football/spl/2010/11/23/ref-crisis-this-would-never-have-happened-if-sfa-had-the-bottle-to-stand-up-to-celtic-86908-22733472/