DEREK MCINNES ADMITS: “THE REBELS HAVE WON!”
- BY LIAM CARRIGAN
- 3 minutes ago
- 3 min read
I commented earlier this week about the utter hysteria that has gripped our media since Celtic wrote their own faery tale ending to this season’s championship last weekend.
Calls for forfeiting of results, demands for apologies, rule changes, legal legislation, and that’s just the morning papers!
I would not be surprised to see tonight’s STV news lead with a demand that Martin O’Neill himself is handed over as a sacrificial offering to Tynecastle as a means of atonement for Celtic having the temerity to (let me check my notes), win a game of football, by two clear goals.
Derek McInnes Conceded, But Establishment Finger-Pointing Remains
Celtic are the champions. Once again, “The Rebels have Won!” as Brian Dempsey famously proclaimed back in 1994.
Hearts have, amidst a flurry of tantrums, made baseless assault allegations, accused referees of corruption, slandered the Celtic support and the good name of our players and manager. All because they bottled it on Saturday.
As we all knew would be the case, the truth would out eventually, and indeed it followed earlier today. Audio released by the SPFL confirms that the referee had, indeed, decided to end the game after Celtic’s 3rd goal. No conspiracy, no agenda, just basic refereeing competence.
I am not to slow to criticize referees or the authorities that oversee them in Scotland.
However, for the second time in less than a week, I have to acknowledge that the SPFL and their referees conducted themselves in an exemplary way. John Beaton had the courage to review and make the right call regarding the latest of late penalties last midweek.
And when he was placed under police guard thanks to Rangers fans deciding to post his personal details online, his superiors at Hampden backed him unconditionally.
They have now done so again, in the case of last Saturday’s referee, Don Robertson.
“Hearts are happy to finish, Don. Derek McInnes has told me he’s happy to finish”.
That’s the verbatim quote from Saturday. Derek McInnes had no objection to the game being declared over as Celtic scored their 3rd goal.
So, the manager of Hearts, the club who were, according to the media over the past few days, “robbed, cheated and deprived of the title that was theirs” seemingly had no objection to the game being concluded.
So, when will the apologies begin?
It is quite ironic that, after being the top cheerleader of the cries and conspiracies of the past few days, that it is Derek McInnes himself who has confirmed that, actually, Celtic did nothing wrong.
There has still been no evidence of the “multiple assaults” alleged by Hearts investor Tony Bloom and by the club themselves. There is evidence of their players pushing Celtic fans, and even stamping on a fan’s phone.
It doesn’t take away from the fact that said fan shouldn’t have been on the pitch, but that’s not the issue here.
It’s time for charges to be levied against McInnes, Bloom and everyone else who has tried to throw their own brands of petrol over this ongoing bonfire since the weekend.
They have brought Scottish football into disrepute with their baseless allegations.
Either put up or shut up. If you have evidence of players being attacked by fans, let’s see it.
If not, then you apologize immediately and take whatever medicine is coming your way.
Celtic’s Board need to lead the charge on this. Our club has been slandered left right and center this week. Many of the attacks came from people who know very little about and ordinarily have very little interest in Scottish football. I expect every one of these manufactured grievance peddlers to be put in their place in the coming days.
In the meantime, has anyone seen the Rangers coming?
