18th January 2026; Rugby Park, Kilmarnock, East Ayrshire, Scotland: Scottish Cup Football, Auchinleck Talbot versus Celtic; SFA Referees Chief Willie Collum. Photo Vagelis Georgariou
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Referee chief Willie Collum has admitted that Celtic were wrongly denied a spot kick in the 2-0 win over Motherwell at Fir park a fortnight ago.
11th October 2026; Fir Park, Motherwell, Scottish Premiership Motherwell versus Celtic; Referee Steven McLean. Photo by Vagelis Georgariou
Referee Steven McLean allowed play to continue, with Celtic receiving only a corner. VAR Don Robertson did not intervene to recommend an on-field review. Refereeing pundits all agreed in the aftermath that Celtic should have been awarded at spot kick at Fir Park.
21st May 2026; Firhill Scottish Championship. Partick Thistle versus St Mirren; Referee Don Robertson. Photo Vagelis Georgariou
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Yet match referee Steven McLean allowed play to continue, with Celtic receiving only a corner. VAR Don Robertson did not intervene to recommend an on-field review. Perhaps the commotion about Celtic getting a correctly awarded penalty at Fir Park on our previous visit to Fir Park had a bearing on the match official’s reluctance to award Celtic a penalty this time around?
He told Sky Sports’ VAR Review Show: “Again, I’ve got great sympathy for the Motherwell player because I think he is trying to avoid the contact. As the shot comes in, he’s turning his body away, he’s bringing his leg up to block the ball.
“There’s definitely discussion between the referee and the VAR about the arm tucked in. I think the elbow’s tucked in, but the Motherwell player takes a real risk by his arm out from the body here.
“And in our opinion, after reviewing this incident, our coaching going forward is that this should be a penalty kick, should be awarded in this incident.”
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Collum also pointed out that the proximity of the shot was not close enough to exonerate Fadinger. The Head of Referees added: “I don’t think it’s very, very close.”
Collum also admit that officials got it wrong by denying St Mirren a penalty in their 1-0 defeat at Ibrox. Ismeal Kabia went down after Manny Fernandez appeared to catch him on the top of the foot.
A brief VAR check produced the verdict that the winger had “run into”the Rangers defender and no review was recommended. Collum first of all accepted that the check should have been more thorough before admitting that the wrong decision was reached.
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He added: “It should have been a longer check, without a doubt. For us, this is a penalty kick, without question.
“There will be occasions where attackers in the area and there will be inevitable light contact. Here it’s quite clear that this is a reckless contact.
“It falls into the category of reckless so a yellow card would be expected here for that kind of stepping action on to the foot. So it’s simple to say the decision is wrong. We would agree with that.”
Callum McGregor of Celtic during the Scottish Premiership match between Motherwell and Celtic at Fir Park on October 11, 2026 in Motherwell, Scotland. (Photo by Zak Mauger/Getty Images)
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So Celtic wrongly denied a penalty in a match we won anyway and the Rangers benefiting from a stonewall penalty being awarded against them in a match they won by a single goal. That is a potential two points swing in their favour. Let’s start keeping the score on this throughout the rest of the season and for fairness assume that every penalty wrongly denied is scored.
So as things stand the table is as follows:
The Rangers – One incorrect decision UP and TWO points better off
Celtic – One incorrect decision DOWN but no points impact
HAVE YOUR SAY – Join the Celtic conversation in our comments section below…
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Celtic in the Fifties by Matt Corr, in two volumes, both published on 4th September 2026 by Celtic Star Books. Click on image to order.
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