Celtic TV’s Tom Boyd in referee quip with Hoops on wrong end of VAR calls against Livingston
TOM BOYD is no stranger to having a go at referees.
The Celtic legend, now a commentator for the club's in-house TV channel, has gone after officials on more than one occasion from the broadcasting booth.
Comments he made about John Beaton landed him in hot water with the SFA and led to an investigation.
During a League Cup match against Dunfermline in 2019, Boyd said of the whistler after he failed to award Celtic a penalty: "That’s a penalty. It’s a penalty kick.
“His arms are up in an unnatural position and it’s a stonewall penalty.
“And once again, Celtic denied by decisions by the referee, and the referee has bottled that.
Read more Celtic stories
“That’s an absolutely scandalous decision by John Beaton. We’ve seen that before on many occasions.
“It’s unquestionably a penalty. It probably should have been a handball but that was a stonewall penalty kick.
“It’s clear it’s a penalty kick. In the light of day, he’s putting his hand towards the ball, heading towards goal.
“What does John Beaton not know about the new rules? If he doesn’t know that’s a penalty he should not be in the middle of the park refereeing a football game.
Most read in Football
“He’ll probably be welcome down his pub tonight again.”
During the match against Livingston at Parkhead, which Celtic won 2-1, VAR got involved but not in favour of the Hoops - on two occasions.
Firstly, there was a VAR check for a handball on Nicky Devlin in the first half with Celtic up 1-0.
Then, with the game poised finely at 2-1 in the second half, the home side were denied a third goal due to offside.
On that first call, the Celtic TV commentary duo of Boyd and Paul Cuddihy weren't shy in voicing their opinion that things may have been different had the incident happened in Celtic's box.
Reo Hatate's shot hit Devlin on the arm in the 23rd minute but neither the referee or VAR Steven Kirkland deemed it worth=hy of a penalty in the end.
Cuddihy said: "It would be interesting to see what would happen if that was at the other end.
"I think we all know."
Read more on the Scottish Sun
Boyd, well aware of his reputation perhaps, had a bit of a laugh in reply at his own expense - while not denying those sentiments.
"Don't be stealing my patter," he replied.
Keep up to date with ALL the latest news and transfers at the Scottish Sun football page