The international break provides respite from the endless refereeing conspiracies that Rangers fans have to endure from the other side of Glasgow but, you just know that when we face Aberdeen this weekend they will return.
According to Celtic fans, every referee under the employ of the SFA has an allegiance to the Ibrox outfit and yet there is only one team that has been sweeping up the trophies over the last decade – some conspiracy that.
When Rangers travel up to Pittodrie to play Aberdeen, the early howls of conspiracy will be heard as soon as the officials are revealed by the Sky Sports production team.
Officials for Rangers v Aberdeen named by SPFL
What will send their fan base into meltdown this weekend is that the key officials are Nick Walsh and Andrew Dallas.
Walsh is the man in the middle and Dallas is on VAR duties.
So, why the conspiracy.
Well, Walsh is employed by the same school, Boclair Academy, that Rangers send their academy youngsters to which obviously means that he will give decisions in our favour.
Google “Nick Walsh Boclair Rangers” and you’ll get the picture.
As for Dallas, you have to go slightly further back and to his old man Hugh who, for years, was targeted verbally and physically by Celtic fans because of the decisions that they felt went against them and in towards us – he also had his house attacked.
For any neutral observer, you just have to look at any Scottish game to see that the referees aren’t biased one way or another but what they are is desperately undertrained and underfunded.
Before VAR was even considered, the officials employed by the SFA should have been made full-time, instead, they have had to take on extra responsibility as part of their duties whilst still maintaining separate employment.
Rangers against Aberdeen is always a firey affair due to their perception of some sort of rivalry with us whilst, at the same time, lying down to have their bellies rubbed against Celtic.
This will be of no concern for the Rangers manager though as he looks to continue where he left off.
Three points for Philippe Clement’s squad, and down the road is all we ask for, however, a penalty to Rangers wouldn’t go amiss either.
