Rangers have been awarded over twice the number of penalties Celtic have this season in the Scottish Premiership.
In revealing stats that are sure to wind any tinfoil hat donned legions up, Rangers have had 13 penalties in the top league whilst Celtic have only had six.
I would say it’s not a competition, but that’s not how it works. This is Scottish football after all.
Most recently, Rangers were awarded two penalties against Aberdeen. Both of them were penalties. They just were.
But because they were awarded to Rangers, opposition fans are incredibly frustrated. Many view Rangers as getting too many. Others, including Chris Sutton [originally
But at the risk of speaking common sense, in the game of football, a penalty is a penalty. This petty off-field political nonsense shouldn’t influence the game or the referee’s decision making.
A penalty is a penalty…
Teams shouldn’t be denied stonewall penalties because the game is tied. Teams shouldn’t be denied stonewall penalties because they’ve already had one, or two, or even three, in the game.
And whilst it might just sound easier to say Rangers are somehow being done favours by the powers that be, it’s just lazy and confrontational.
The overwhelming majority of Rangers’ 13 Scottish Premiership penalties this season have been deserved. Just as the majority of Celtic’s six have.
Just because Rangers have received more than double the number Celtic have, it doesn’t suggest anything. Anything other than the fact teams won’t get away with fouling the Gers in the box, as per the rules of the game.
In fact, this freakishly indulgent penalty season has been done before. The Gers just matched the most penalties in a Scottish club’s season with none other than, yes, that’s right, victims of any conspiracy, double treble and potentially treble treble winners Celtic.
Both have reportedly attained the record of 17 sport kicks across all competitions in a calendar year. And there’s plenty of time for Rangers to smash that record yet…
