Chris Sutton has delivered a scathing critique of Rangers’ claims they were “robbed” in last Sunday’s Scottish League Cup final against Celtic, branding the idea of a replay as absurd.
The former Celtic striker ridiculed the suggestion, arguing that if contentious decisions warrant rematches, then the 2003 League Cup final between the same two sides, marred by its own officiating controversy, should also be replayed.
Writing in the Daily Record on 21 December, Sutton said:
“There’s been some hysterical reaction to Sunday’s Premier Sport 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.
“That’s how daft an idea it is. Rangers won’t take much comfort from Willie Collum coming out and admitting the VAR officials made a mess of the controversial penalty call.
“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.”
Sutton also highlighted Rangers’ defensive frailties, questioning their ability to take responsibility for their performance. While the VAR decision may have been controversial, he suggested it cannot mask the deeper issues within the team.
The prospect of replaying matches based on contentious decisions sets a dangerous precedent.
Such a move would plunge football into chaos, eroding the finality of results and opening the floodgates for every aggrieved club to demand rematches.
It risks undermining the sport’s integrity and turning the game into a constant cycle of disputes and do-overs.
Nevertheless, Rangers have raised valid concerns about the standard of officiating in Scotland.
The VAR error during the final is part of a broader pattern of controversial decisions that have cost the club in high-stakes matches.
Their frustrations, while understandable, should be channeled into a constructive push for accountability and improvements in officiating standards.
Sutton, however, dismisses Rangers’ complaints as excuses for their shortcomings. As is often the case when it comes to his commentary on the Ibrox side, his remarks overlook the bigger picture.
Hopefully, this controversy will serve as a wake-up call for the Scottish Football Association to address persistent issues in officiating and restore confidence in the system.
