It’s surprising to see that despite our relentless attacking style, Celtic only received 8 penalties throughout the 2022/23 SPFL season. This puts us in the middle of the pack, with Hearts leading the way with 11 penalties awarded and The Rangers close behind with 10.

Given our aggressive style of play and the amount of time we spend in the opposition’s penalty area, one would expect Celtic to potentially top the list. This raises questions about the consistency of penalty decisions and whether the rules are being applied uniformly across all teams.

Moreover, the disparity between penalties conceded and penalties received by The Rangers is quite striking. They have not conceded a single penalty all season, yet they have been awarded the second most in the league.

This discrepancy is something that needs to be looked into by the SPFL, referees, and VAR officials to ensure the integrity of the game. Like Celtic though, The Rangers do spend more time than most other clubs attacking so their numbers should be high, it’s incredible to see a club land 11 penalties and concede zero though.

At this point, it’s worth mentioning that the SFA could take a lot of the mystery out of some of the bizarre decisions made by allowing the conversations between the referee and the VAR team to be open to the public. This transparency would not only help fans understand the reasoning behind certain decisions but also ensure that the process is fair.

Looking ahead to the next season, it’s crucial that we continue to press for transparency and consistency in decision-making. We must ensure that the rules of the game are applied fairly to all teams, regardless of their position in the league.