Bobby Madden Questions SFA Referee Appointments After Rangers VAR Controversy

Former top-flight referee Bobby Madden has raised concerns about the Scottish FA’s referee appointment process after Matthew MacDermid was assigned VAR duties for Rangers’ 2-2 draw with Dundee less than a day after officiating a contentious penalty decision.

MacDermid was in charge of Partick Thistle’s 1-0 victory over Ayr United on Friday night, where he awarded the visitors a decisive spot-kick following an incident involving Seb Drozd and Ayr defender Liam Dick.

Oisin Smyth stepped up to convert the penalty, securing all three points for Partick Thistle. However, the decision sparked significant debate, with criticism directed at the referee’s judgement.

Despite the reaction, MacDermid was back on officiating duty the following evening, taking up the VAR role for Rangers’ draw at Dens Park. Former Hearts player Ryan Stevenson had already called for the official to be removed from the assignment following the controversy.

Madden, though, believes attention should focus less on MacDermid himself and more on the officials responsible for allocating referees to matches.

The former referee also highlighted the demanding schedule MacDermid had faced in the days leading up to the incident. His run of assignments began with a trip to the Faroe Islands to oversee a UEFA Youth League fixture between HB Torshavn’s Under-19s and Flora Tallinn’s Under-19s.

He subsequently returned to referee the Ayr United clash before being appointed to VAR duty for Rangers’ match against Dundee.

Speaking on the So Near, Yet So VAR podcast, Madden pointed to the attention the penalty decision had attracted online, noting that a video of the incident had received 330,000 views on Instagram.

He stressed the importance of the decision, given that it involved the only goal of the game, and questioned the circumstances surrounding the award.

Madden also drew attention to the attacker’s reaction during the incident, arguing that the referee had been well positioned to assess what happened.

However, his main concern centred on the scheduling of officials rather than simply the individual decision made on the pitch.

Madden questioned why a referee returning from European duty and coming under scrutiny for a controversial call would subsequently be assigned VAR responsibilities for another high-profile fixture so quickly.

He argued that the situation raised questions about the number of officials available and the way appointments are handled by the Scottish FA.

Madden also questioned whether referees whose recent performances have attracted criticism should immediately be allocated to matches receiving significant television coverage.

His comments add another dimension to the ongoing debate surrounding Scottish refereeing standards, with the appointment process now facing scrutiny alongside the original penalty decision.