Bringing us up to date with the big calls reviewed from Match Week 11 in the SPFL.
The introduction of VAR added to a tumultuous match at Tynecastle involving Celtic where a big call seemed to need review every five minutes. There was also a big moment at Ibrox as the hosts played Livingston.
The Yorkshire Whistler is, happily, not redundant because of this technological new dawn. He will continue to opine on those occasions where the decision is maybe unclear or controversial. It will also mean some incidents will not be referred. For example, both penalty awards to Hearts against Celtic were pretty clear cut.
The impact of that call being incorrect can then be evaluated using the framework outlined here -> Honest Mistakes in the SPFL.
22/10/22 Hearts vs Celtic
Incident 1
Referee Nick Walsh Game Minute 31st
Incident Ralston scores for Celtic Outcome Goal disallowed, free kick to Hearts Evidence BBC iPlayer - Sportscene - Premiership Highlights 2022/23: 22/10/2022
At 3:25
Yorkshire Whistler Verdict Ralston scores with a header
Initial on field decision: Goal disallowed; free kick awarded to Hearts.
It appears that the referee disallows the goal as he sees an infringement in the build up to the cross being delivered into the Hearts penalty area.
Giakoumakis is the offender here not Ralston the actual goal scorer. This is what the neutral might call a ‘soft’ free kick as the Celtic forward tugs the back of Snodgrass shirt before then moving onto jostling with a second Hearts player.
Although the Celtic man doesn’t actually commit a foul during the second exchange, the referee, for me, rightly awards the foul for the clear shirt pull, before Ralston is able to guide his header home.
As a referee, you are expected to immediately penalise any clear shirt pulls in contested boxes, regardless of who the instigator is, as soon as you spot it.
Verdict: Correct decision to award the defensive free kick.
Expected Points
Outcome
No impact
Incident 2
Referee Nick Walsh Game Minute 45th
Incident Carter-Vickers and Devlin clash in the box Outcome Penalty to Hearts Evidence BBC iPlayer - Sportscene - Premiership Highlights 2022/23: 22/10/2022
At 4:25
Yorkshire Whistler Verdict Carter-Vickers and Devlin clash in the box
Initial on field decision: Penalty awarded to Hearts
This is the first incident I have been asked to review the newly implemented VAR system now introduced into the SPFL.
I am working on the assumption that the brief and threshold for VAR usage in the SPFL, is the same as that seen in the EPL.
If so, then this first VAR assessed, incident would appear to be an accurate intervention. On the basis that slow motion footage indicates the Hearts players foot just getting to the ball, a split second before Carter Vickers, then a foul has been committed and the penalty kick is correctly awarded, after review.
If I may interject, my personal views on VAR from the perspective of a currently active referee in the English game, I do have an issue with the definition of VAR intervention of what constitutes a ‘CLEAR & OBVIOUS ERROR’.
For me, the referee has not committed a clear and obvious error in initially not awarding the foul. The challenge happens that quickly, the human eye of a referee cannot be certain who touched what first.
For that reason, my own opinion is that incidents should not be slowed down (which always makes incidents more exaggerated/obvious) when VAR reviews are undertaken. If after 3/4 views of an incident in real time, a clear and obvious error cannot be detected, then the review should end and the referee’s decision should stand.
I can’t ever see this being implemented, but it would reduce the length of reviews and give back confidence to the on-field referees regarding scrutiny of these so called ‘clear and obvious errors’.
Anyway, enough of my personal views, coming back to this incident, the right call is ultimately made.
Verdict: Correct decision to award the penalty after forensic scrutiny.
Expected Points
Outcome
No impact
Incident 3
Referee Nick Walsh Game Minute 45th
Incident Smith handballs in the Hearts box Outcome No decision Evidence BBC iPlayer - Sportscene - Premiership Highlights 2022/23: 22/10/2022
At 6:12
Yorkshire Whistler Verdict Ball hits Smith on the arm in the area
Initial on field decision: No foul awarded
Accidental hand ball here, so we are now deciding if the arm is extended unnaturally specific to that situation.
Again, I’m happy that the right decision is made here. Smith is stood in a defensive jockeying position, slightly lower centre of gravity. So, he is leaning down arms slightly extended but not unnaturally so. Given proximity to player and perceived lack of reaction time as a result, I would have deemed this as accidental handball, justified, so no foul committed.
Addendum:
Smith, handball decision. Player reaction to an incident sometimes helps cement the initial feeling or interpretation that a referee will have on a particular incident.
However, this does not necessarily translate to, the more vociferous the shout, the more obvious the outcome is.
My experience of handball shouts in particular within the field of play, is that players react to the handball itself, rather than the several factors that have to be considered as to whether the handball is an actual offence. Players will always shout for handball, irrespective of individual circumstance.
In games where there have been several shouts of “oi, ref handball surely” I do loudly reply to players when it has happened and my patience is running thin, with the standard response ‘Lads, we do know that accidental handball on its own is not an offence, don’t we?” This usually mutes the following appeals.
My thought process in agreeing with the initial finding, acknowledges that it accidental hits the Hearts player on the arm, but given the relative low angle of arm, proximity to ball when it is struck and noting that it hits his inner elbow, rather than fully extended fingers/hands, led me to a natural body shape for that particular incident - so just accidental handball, no offence committed, so to speak.
I do feel my overall tolerance to accidental handballs not being given as free kicks is, perhaps slightly higher than some other referees. Probably an unconscious bias from my pre refereeing day, as a cumbersome centre half, who would have felt harshly done by as a player!
Verdict : Correct decision not to award the foul
Expected Points
Outcome
No impact
22/10/22 Livingston vs The Rangers
Incident 1
Referee David Munro Game Minute 78th
Incident Boyes fouls Morelos and is sent off on VAR review Outcome Free kick to TRFC; RC to Boyes Evidence BBC iPlayer - Sportscene - Premiership Highlights 2022/23: 22/10/2022
At 26:55
Yorkshire Whistler Verdict Boyes fouls Morelos.
Initial on field decision: Foul to Rangers, Boyes shown red card.
Again, similar to the first VAR reviewed incident in the Celtic game, I feel the slow-motion replay vindicates the upgrade to a red card, whereas on naked eye, full speed review, I felt the yellow card initially seemed the correct sanction.
The challenge appears reckless in nature and the studs are showing, but initially I felt the motion of the defender’s leg was on a downward trajectory, the impact is one of slowing down momentum, rather than a wild, over the top lunge.
But on slow motion, the studs do catch Morelos shin high and the VAR recommends to on field referee to look at again, as an excessive force challenge endangering players safety has been committed.
Verdict: Correct decision to award the red card
Expected Points
Outcome
No impact
Summary
My thanks as always to the Yorkshire Whistler.
Celtic fans seemed united (for once) in uproar during and after the Hearts game. In total there were six big VAR moments and all of them went against Celtic. That in and of itself probably fuelled some righteous anger.
The recommendations of the Yorkshire Whistler to vindicate all the big calls from VAR over the weekend will further annoy, I am sure.
But there is a danger in taking that view that the overall point is being missed.
In the Yorkshire Whistler we have someone who is a professional subject matter expert verifiably neutral and unbiased within the often-toxic context of Scottish football. That DOES NOT MEAN we (and I) will agree with all his decisions. That is not what this is about.
What I am trying to do here is present a world where the referee in Scotland is verifiably neutral. You will continue to get some good and bad calls based on your perspective. What you should not have is any DOUBT that what is being presented here is an expert opinion honestly given and free from any baggage.
Because this is what I would strive for in Scotland. Not that every decision goes Celtic’s way, but that if it does not, I know the person making the decision is trustworthy and free from doubt as to their motives.
If the referees have commercial relationships with The Rangers (Nick Walsh) or familial ties (Steve McLean) there is doubt that unconscious biases will influence behaviour. I am not suggesting the aforementioned are dishonest or in any way corrupt, nor do I profess to know which football team they support (but it would be useful to know). What I am saying is they are human. They are verifiably connected to The Rangers (could be any club). They, being human, will allow unconscious bias to impact their behaviour – they are not robots. These facts place DOUBT as to their performances and decision making. Where there is doubt there is lack of trust.
The SFA should remove this doubt and restore trust by knowing and publishing all referee allegiances and any conflicts of interest. Assignments should be made accordingly.
So, you may howl that the Yorkshire Whistler would not have given Celtic a penalty at Hearts. I am fizzing myself. But the point is, this is at least an opinion honestly given, one you can trust if not agree with. It is at least understandable given the vagaries of how football laws are written.
No change to the overall picture:

Based on the in-match game state when the decisions were made (or not made), The Rangers have 1.08 MORE points than expected due to the cumulative impact of Honest Mistakes and Celtic 1.45 LESS.
A swing of 2.53 xPts.
Celtic led by four points after 11 matches.