A controversial end to the season saw refereeing decisions dominate the title race talking points
Michael Stewart
Raging Michael Stewart has warned the SFA that many fans feel “something isn’t right” about Celtic’s title win.
The former Hearts star called out the use of VAR as he insisted Derek McInnes’ side were cost the title by the controversial call at Fir Park – before the shoot-out on the final day of the season.
Motherwell midfielder Sam Nicholson was judged to have handled the ball in the final seconds of the clash with the Hoops, with the game level at 2-2.
Andrew Dallas in the VAR room would intervene to flag the incident to referee John Beaton, who awarded the spot-kick.
Kelechi Iheanacho dispatched from 12 yards – but had the game remained level, Celtic would have needed to win by three goals to claim the Scottish title.
In the end, they only needed a victory to become champions as Martin O’Neill’s men managed a 3-1 victory over the Jambos.
Unhappy Stewart told the Premier Sports Social Club: “Wednesday night is where the title has been won and lost.
“You change nothing in the performance of both teams throughout the season, and that one decision flips the other way and Hearts have won the title.
“If you look at the course of a campaign – and I have heard it all before about how it ‘evens itself out throughout the course of a season’ – my counter to that would be, so see if that decision doesn’t go in Celtic’s favour and didn’t exist, across the course of the season they needed that decision to go in their favour to create a perfect equilibrium?
“A decision that happens in the 95th minute of a game, and also – I am talking theoretically here – and at the 93rd minute of the season, is different from when it happens in the 23rd minute of the game or for example the seventh game of the season.
“So that decision – which has been derided all around the world, Gary Lineker calling it the worst VAR decision ever, Alan Shearer…these guys don’t have a connection to Scottish football.
“They don’t have any skin in the game, why would they be passing comment on that for any other reason than calling it objectively? That is it. Objectively.
Celtic were awarded a last-minute penalty against Motherwell(Image: Sky Sports)
“I just feel far too often in this country we are just like ‘oh let’s move on, let’s move on’ – this is not a situation that can be moved on from.
“There is no question the title has been impacted on by decisions from the officials.”
Pushed by host Darrell Currie on the chances of clubs scrapping VAR in the wake of the flashpoints in the final week of the season, Stewart said: “Possibly. What I would say is, if the authorities don’t deal with this properly they are in danger of disenfranchising a generation of football fans in this country, because it’s not just Hearts fans.
“It’s fans from many clubs across the country who feel absolutely scunnered and deflected and [the] guttural feeling that something isn’t right.
“I know Celtic fans want to enjoy the celebration, but they have to acknowledge something doesn’t feel right to many other supporters, and in large part that comes down to the way this is officiated.
“And, unless the authorities are open and frank – and I will make this quite clear, that doesn’t involve banning people like me who have been critical and chucking you in a van, and then telling you that you can’t sit in a car park for daring to question the levels of competence within the hierarchy.
“They have to be open and frank, because they have impacted the title race in a way that many do not find acceptable.”