Stephen Robinson’s reaction to Celtic’s victory over St Mirren — specifically his anger about the disallowed Liam Scales own goal — has begun to look a little embarrassing in light of the latest expert opinions.
The St Mirren manager had been furious after the match, venting over the officials’ call to chalk off what would have been an equaliser during the Buddies’ defeat in Paisley. He hinted that referees would “come up with a reason” to defend the decision, suggesting Celtic had benefited unfairly.
However, former Celtic striker Chris Sutton immediately shot those claims down, insisting the call was absolutely correct and that Robinson was “talking rubbish.” Sutton wasn’t alone either — even Kris Boyd, who rarely sides with Celtic viewpoints, dismissed conspiracy talk and strongly agreed the offside ruling was spot on.
Now, former FIFA referee Mark Clattenburg has weighed in, and his assessment makes Robinson’s post-match frustration look even more misplaced. Speaking exclusively to 67 Hail Hail, Clattenburg broke down precisely why the officials were right to intervene.
According to Clattenburg, when the initial pass was played forward, a St Mirren player was clearly in an offside position and actively attempted to play the ball. Crucially, he was close enough to the Celtic defender to influence his ability to deal with it. That interference, Clattenburg explains, means the defender’s attempt to play the ball — which resulted in the own goal — cannot be judged in isolation. Under the laws of the game, the flag must go up.
In Clattenburg’s words, “a player in an offside position made a clear attempt to play the ball, was close to the defender, and interfered with his ability to play it.” Therefore, the officials had no choice but to rule the goal out.
That makes three separate voices — Sutton, Boyd and now Clattenburg — all stating that Robinson’s complaints were off the mark and that the St Mirren boss got this one wrong. With the dust settled, his earlier comments look more like frustration than fair criticism.
St Mirren now turn their attention to a difficult trip to Easter Road, where Hibs will be waiting after their recent 2-0 win over Dundee. Meanwhile, Celtic prepare for their upcoming home meeting with Hearts in what promises to be a big December showdown.
Clattenburg, with no ties to the SFA or the Scottish game whatsoever, offered a neutral, rules-based explanation — and in doing so, effectively dismissed Robinson’s accusations once and for all.
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