Celtic ‘astonished’ if SFA charge brought after Boyd comments

CELTIC say they would be “astonished” if Tom B o y d ’s commentary sparks a Scottish Football Association disciplinary charge.

SFA compliance officer Clare Whyte is understood to be reviewing the former Hoops captain’s criticism of referee John Beaton during Celtic TV’s live coverage of Saturday’s 2-1 victory over Dunfermline.

The Celtic ambassador claimed Neil Lennon’s side were up against 12 men and that Beaton had “bottled” a potential penalty award.

After it emerged Whyte would review the comments, a Celtic spokesperson said: “We have had absolutely no contact from the SFA in relation to this matter and, given the context and circumstances in which the comments were made, would be astonished if the matter were to be progressed. If it is, then we will respond robustly.”

Celtic could face action under the SFA disciplinary rule 38, 29.2. Premiership clubs face fines ranging from £1,000 to £100,000 if found guilty of the charge.

Boyd, in the immediate aftermath of Beaton’s decision to award Celtic a corner after Ryan Dow blocked Mikey Johnston’s shot, said: “Once again Celtic are denied the decision by the referee and the referee has bottled that.

“That’s an absolutely scandalous decision by John Beaton and we’ve seen that before on many an occasion.

“If he doesn’t know that’s a penalty then he shouldn’t be in the middle of the park refereeing a football game.”

He added: “How John Beaton hasn’t given that, we have seen it before from referees like this.

“I’m mystified, well I’m not mystified. It was obviously a pre-meditated decision not to give that penalty.

“Hopefully we go on to beat not the 10 men, 11 men of Dunfermline but the 12 men of that decision from John Beaton.”