ANN: IT’S RUBBISH

FROM BACK PAGE would be switched from the National Stadium, with Rangers also due to play Aberdeen in Mount Florida that day.

They claimed it was “irrational” and “discriminatory” while boss Brendan Rodgers also insisted the new venue wasn’t neutral because Hearts had played four games there last season.

But Budge hit back and said: “Of course it’s a neutral venue. We played four games there last season and Celtic, as we well know, have also played at Murrayfield (for European qualifiers).

“Our team has changed drastically, less than half of them have experience of playing at Murrayfield. So to suggest it’s not a neutral venue is a nonsense. “Honestly, it’s a fatuous argument.” The Jambos chief also suggested their semi was the one that had to be switched because it was the first tie out the hat and would have been played on the Saturday if the Hoops hadn’t been coming back from Europa League duty.

And Budge took a pop at the SPFL, saying: “It could have been handled differently from the outset.”

Dons boss Derek McInnes is happy the kick-off for his side’s semi has been moved from 12pm to 4.30pm. But he had sympathy for Celtic and said: ”I can maybe understand if they’re not happy.”

‘Why don’t we let Celtic shoot at bigger goals and shrink the other teams’ goals. Would that stop their whining?’