Referees and the Record have a cheek accusing anyone of using Dark Arts

The Celtic Star

·15 gennaio 2025

Referees and the Record have a cheek accusing anyone of using Dark Arts

The Daily Record this week helped by former referees have been showing their true colours with poisonous attack on Celtic right-back Alistair Johnston…

Alistair Johnston. Dens Park, Dundee v Celtic. 14th January 2025. Photo Vagelis Georgariou

The ailing tabloid ran an article which was nothing more than a poisonous attack on one of our own players.

OneFootball Video

They sourced the opinion of two former grade one officials Des Roache and Steve Conroy both who are behind an X account dubbed ‘Behind the Whistle’ and if like me you are a regular on X, you will know the narrative run by this account.

Alistair Johnston accused of using dark arts

Both didn’t disappoint, and encouraged by article writer Mark Pirie they concluded that Alistair Johnston should have seen red after his infringement gave away a penalty at Dingwall on Saturday. For the record it was a clear penalty, but it was never an ordering off offence. However all that is about opinion and after a long look at the incident the VAR recommended a penalty to Ross County. No complaints there.

Alistair Johnston. Ross County v Celtic in Dingwall. Photo Vagelis Georgariou

But they didn’t stop there and they further pushed their agenda by stating that the Canadian international is somehow a master of the dark arts and in doing so has made himself a marked man in the Scottish game. It was not Johnston’s intention to concede a penalty and he didn’t determine the punishment – so where was the alleged dark arts?

Giving your opinion on decisions on the football field even if it’s wrong like on this occasion, is well and fine, but defaming a professional footballer is totally out of order.

Conspired to make AJ a marked man

Now Roach, Conroy and Daily Record have conspired to make AJ a marked man due to their repulsive lies, and I’m sure that was their intention in the first place.

Kasper Schmeichel. Ross County v Celtic in Dingwall. Photo Vagelis Georgariou

AJ can be a tough competitor and doesn’t shrink a challenge, but to say he is above the laws of the games is nonsense. There are other players in Scotland who get away with a lot worse, but funnily enough they are never subjected to the bile that AJ has just been exposed to.

Selective focus

Interestingly Roach, Conroy and the media weren’t bothered in the slightest by the blatant penalty kick Dundee were denied against theRangers at Dens Park last Thursday. Dark arts you say…

Just an Ordinary Bhoy