Ross Pilcher took your calls as Pakrhead board urged to stop dithering and the Champions League comes under fire
12:53, 29 Jan 2026Updated 12:56, 29 Jan 2026
Referee Steven McLean initially awards a yellow card to Auston Trusty before VAR confirm the denial of a goal scoring opportunity
View 2 Images
Referee Steven McLean initially awards a yellow card to Auston Trusty before VAR confirm the denial of a goal scoring opportunity (Image: SNS Group)
The Scottish FA must be getting more letters than Santa after another contested decision has one of the big two beelin'.
Celtic's appeal against Auston Trusty's sending off against Hearts at Tynecastle was booted out by the Hampden beaks, with the Hoops seeking talks to understand why.
We've been here before with Rangers, and the Hotline reckons it's another example of playing to gallery.
Chris Lowe, Yoker, pointed out: "Celtic have spent more money defending a red card than they have this transfer window. The hullabaloo about this incident while conveniently ignoring Scales and Cvancara getting away with one during the same game. It’s a deflection tactic One domestic red card in nearly 2 years and Refs are out to get them."
John Bruce asked: "Was there an ulterior motive behind Celtic's futile appeal of the Auston Trusty red card? Rather than protesting what they claimed to be a totally unjust decision, was it done to avoid scrutiny of their first domestic red card in 87 games? Or to prevent any questions being asked on why Hearts were denied a penalty and whether Celtic's new player should have been sent off?
"Was it done to divert attention from their fans' fury at failing to win a game that saw them falling behind Rangers in the league? Or was it the beleaguered Celtic board playing the victim card, in an attempt to get the fans back on side?
Peter Cooperwhite is pleased to see some fair play breaking out. He emailed: "Now the state of play is Celtic are not getting their usual decisions that go their way now all hell breaks loose. Red cards for a start even a cheek to say dodgy refereeing var butting in and teams now start with 12 men not that long ago they had 13 men. Now that 1 of their directors have left the officials have to make their own minds up and guess the outcome is now fair play."
Gordon Ashley, Ayr, wants the Hoops to go all the way (to somewhere) with their protests. He said: "Celtic must take the joke of a red card at tyncastle all the way, several top English ex premiership referees have told the truth that it was a wrong decision and the honest mistakes of David Dickinson and John Beaton all in favour of one team this season are simply unexplainable, and have benefitted rangers to the tune of 15 points."
Bodo/Glimt's Danish forward Kasper Hogh
View 2 Images
Bodo/Glimt's Danish forward Kasper Hogh (Image: AFP via Getty Images)
Some Celtic fans would rather the Parkhead powerbrokers focused on transfers. Paul Price, Glasgow, said: "I want to start by offering my congratulations to Bodo Glimt in securing a place in the next stage of the Champions League. I would now like those responsible that are still employed at Celtic Park that oversaw the appointment of Nancy over Kjetil Knutsen to take the next honourable step and resign! As for Celtic being interested in Bodo's striker Kasper Hogh...we can forget it, left it to late again !!
"The dithering in the boardroom is utterly embarrassing and proving to be very costly to the team and supporters. There now has to be accountability at the highest level."
Dennis Bruce, Bishopbriggs, wonders if Raheem Sterling would be a realistic Celtic target. He emailed: I know this is clutching at straws, a sure sign of desperation. Would Raheem Sterling, now released from Chelsea with a more than healthy bank balance, consider a call from Celtic? A club in dire need of help itself, to get his career back on track for his stellar reintroduction to the EPL next season, and to become a Celtic legend into the bargain by helping the team to regain its league title in the second half of this season? Is that an unrealisable pipe dream?
Article continues below
Finally, Arthur Wylie, Aberdeen, has had enough of the Champions League. He said: This so-called Champions League is a farce. Since when did England have six Premier League champions at the same time? The competition is called the Champions League which means that the teams involved MUST be Champions of their country plus the previous season's Champions League winners.
"The sad thing is that there is nothing that we can do about it. UEFA make up the rules as they go along giving advantage to the wealthier leagues."