Chris Sutton Delivers Scathing Verdict on Rangers’ Penalty Controversy
The fallout from Celtic’s League Cup victory over Rangers continues to dominate the headlines, with Chris Sutton becoming the latest high-profile figure to weigh in on the controversy. The former Celtic striker has slammed the “hysterical reaction” from Rangers fans, who have been calling for a replay of the final after Willie Collum’s admission that the Ibrox club should have been awarded a penalty.
Sutton’s Scathing Assessment
Writing in his column for the Daily Record, Sutton delivered a scathing assessment of the Rangers fans’ reaction, saying: “There’s been some hysterical reaction to Sunday’s Premier Sports Cup Final with some people even saying the match should be replayed. I’d be all for it. In fact, perhaps I should dig out my boots and we can have another go at the 2003 Celtic v Rangers League Cup Final. Remember John Hartson’s goal that was ruled out for offside when he was about 25 yards onside and Rangers went on to win the trophy? Let’s do that again. In fact, if we are going to replay finals for refereeing mistakes, we might as well have another bash at just about every final in history.”
Dismissing the ‘Narrative’ of Rangers Being ‘Robbed’
Sutton also took aim at the narrative that Rangers were “robbed” of the League Cup, saying: “There’s been a narrative that they were robbed at Hampden and they played really well. Excuse me, didn’t they concede three goals? And against a Celtic team that wasn’t really firing on all cylinders? Are we handing out more moral trophies again because Rangers didn’t get pumped? This isn’t the Ibrox club I came up against. They are using the big decision as a crutch when in reality they finished second best to Celtic once more.”
Boyd’s Admission Adds Weight to Sutton’s Argument
Sutton’s argument is further reinforced by Kris Boyd’s admission that Rangers failed to beat Celtic even when they were not at their best. Boyd’s comments add weight to Sutton’s assertion that Rangers are clutching at straws and struggling to cope with the reality of their defeat.
Conclusion
The controversy surrounding the League Cup final shows no signs of abating, but Chris Sutton’s scathing assessment of the Rangers fans’ reaction is a timely reminder that the Ibrox club’s defeat was not solely down to the referee’s decision. As Sutton so eloquently puts it, Rangers “finished second best to Celtic once more,” and it is this reality that they must come to terms with.
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