Chris Sutton has criticized Rangers for claiming they were robbed of a trophy in their defeat to Celtic last Sunday.
The ex-Celtic striker argued that if Rangers want a replay, then every cup final impacted by controversial decisions should also be replayed, including the 2003 League Cup final between the same teams. He referenced an incident where John Hartson’s goal was wrongly disallowed for offside, resulting in Rangers lifting the trophy.
Sutton also condemned Rangers for conceding three goals in the penalty shootout of the Scottish League Cup final on December 15, which ended 3-3 after extra time. Writing in the Daily Record on December 21, he dismissed calls for a rematch, describing them as “hysterical.” He sarcastically suggested replaying past finals marred by refereeing errors, stating, “If we’re going to replay finals for officiating mistakes, we might as well redo just about every final in history.”
Sutton also pointed out that Rangers’ defensive lapses and their inability to capitalize on a Celtic side not at their best were more significant factors in their defeat than the disputed penalty call. “Are we handing out moral trophies now because Rangers didn’t get thrashed?” he wrote. “This isn’t the Ibrox side I faced. They’re using the controversial decision as an excuse when, in reality, they were second best.”
While a replay of the Scottish League Cup final would set a dangerous precedent and potentially lead to chaos in football, Rangers have legitimate grievances over repeated contentious decisions that have influenced critical matches. Such officiating errors warrant accountability and improvement from governing bodies like the SFA. Sutton’s remarks, while dismissive, fail to address the broader issues of fairness and consistency in officiating that Rangers have highlighted.