Rangers legend McCoist criticises ‘embarrassing’ call against his former club

Ally McCoist slams VAR and refereeing over Livingston controversy involving Cammy Kerr

Former Ally McCoist has strongly criticised what he called the “embarrassing” failure to award Rangers a penalty and to send off Cammy Kerr during last month’s 2-2 draw against Livingston FC.

The incident occurred late in the match when Mikey Moore raced through on goal and was brought down by Kerr without the ball being touched. Reacting to the VAR audio clip of the challenge on his official Instagram, McCoist said the situation highlighted the need for experienced football people to be involved in such decisions. “Forget the bias and nonsense you’ll hear,” he wrote, “this is why you need people who know the game—play or have played at a high level—and have the common sense to implement it.”

Head of referees Willie Collum later reviewed the incident on the SFA’s VAR show. He admitted that while no penalty should have been given, Kerr should have been sent off for denying an obvious goalscoring opportunity (DOGSO). Collum explained that the initial contact occurred outside the penalty area, meaning a penalty was not warranted.

However, Collum added that the VAR team should have recommended an on-field review, which could have led to a direct free-kick for Rangers and a red card for Kerr. “Being so focused on whether it’s a penalty or not, they missed the detail on the DOGSO,” he said.

McCoist’s criticism reflects broader frustration among Rangers fans, who feel the rules were misapplied in a game that could have had a significant impact on the Premiership standings