MADDEN EXPOSED ABOUT CELTIC AND RANGERS THAT HAS LEFT FANS CONCERNED – BOBBY MADDEN HITS OUT WITH ‘PANDERING’ ACCUSATION AT RANGERS AS FORMER TOTTENHAM ACE RESPONDS TO CELTIC MANAGER LINKS.

RANGERS AND CELTIC RETURN TO ACTION THIS WEEKEND ON PREMIERSHIP BUSINESS – BUT TALKING POINTS ARE APLENTY ELSEWHERE.

THE LIGHT BLUES FELT HARD DONE BY OVER REFEREEING DECISIONS IN DEFEAT TO CELTIC IN A PREMIER SPORTS CUP SEMI-FINAL, AND A DEFEAT TO ROMA HAS ONLY ADDED TO A DESPONDENT MOOD, AMID A TOUGH START TO THIS SEASON. THEY FACE DUNDEE AT DENS PARK BEFORE THE INTERNATIONAL BREAK.

CELTIC ARE ROCKED BY INJURY CONCERNS AND ARE HUNTING FOR A NEW PERMANENT MANAGER, WITH MARTIN O’NEILL SET TO LEAD THE TEAM AS INTERIM GAFFER AGAINST KILMARNOCK. AMID AN EX-REF’S CLAIM ON RANGERS AND A FORMER TOTTENHAM STAR’S CELTIC BOSS ADDRESS, HERE ARE SOME OF THE LATEST HEADLINES REGARDING BOTH SIDES OF THE OLD FIRM.

AFTER CELTIC DEFENDER AUSTON TRUSTY’S BOOT MADE CONTACT WITH RANGERS GOALKEEPER JACK BUTLAND’S HEAD LAST WEEKEND, WITHOUT A RED CARD, RANGERS AIRED CONCERNS OVER CUP SEMI-FINAL REFEREEING IN A STATEMENT. SPEAKING ON SPORTSSOUND, EX-REFEREE MADDEN SAYS RANGERS WERE MERELY TRYING TO BIG THEMSELVES UP WITH THEIR OWN FANBASE.

HE SAID: “I THINK THEY ARE PANDERING TO THE FANS. THAT’S ALL I THINK THESE CLUB STATEMENTS DO. I THINK THEY NEED TO BE SEEN BECAUSE OF ALL THE FAN MOVEMENTS NOW. THERE’S AN EXPECTATION, THEY WANT THEM TO GO AND CHALLENGE THE SFA, THEY WANT TO SEE THEM HAVE A VOICE AND STAND UP FOR THEIR CLUB. I THINK IT’S ABSOLUTE POSTURING AND PANDERING TO THE FANS.”

A STATEMENT READ: “CLUB REPRESENTATIVES MET WITH THE SCOTTISH FA THIS EVENING TO SEEK EXPLANATIONS FOR MAJOR DECISIONS IN THE MATCH, INCLUDING THE INCIDENT INVOLVING JACK BUTLAND AND AUSTON TRUSTY. FOLLOWING THAT MEETING, WE REMAIN UNSATISFIED WITH THE EXPLANATION OF THE REFEREE’S DECISION IN THAT INCIDENT, THE APPLICATION OF THE LAWS OF THE GAME, AND THE VAR REVIEW ITSELF, WHICH WE DO NOT BELIEVE WAS SUFFICIENTLY ROBUST OR THOROUGH.”