STEVEN Gerrard to his great credit admitted Allan McGregor had been fortunate not to be sent off at Celtic Park on Sunday and that he would have a word with his player about that red-mist moment.

That the Rangers goalkeeper connected with Kristoffer Ajer off the ball is without doubt. It was definitely a yellow card and, because the incident took place inside the box, a penalty should also have been awarded.

The only debate really is whether McGregor deserved to be sent off for “brutality or excess force” which is in the SFA rule book. I think there was and that he’s is really a lucky boy, so did Gerrard, while the rest seem to be split depending on which team they support.

And then yesterday the disciplinary committee disagreed with me, how dare they, by deciding it wasn’t a red card after, one would imagine and hope, looking at the incident many times from all available angles.

Clare Whyte, the new SFA compliance officer, and three former match officials came down in favour of McGregor – they can’t retrospectively give him a booking – although it wasn’t a unanimous decision.

On the previous Saturday, Kilmarnock’s Gary Dicker was sent off for a challenge on Hearts’ Callumn Morrison, a decision which 90 per cent or more of those who have watched it believed it to be ridiculous. He got a straight red when a booking would have been harsh.

Kilmarnock appealed – they have to prove that an obvious refereeing error has been made – and a video conference between a tribunal of trained, independent judicial panel members, Dicker was not allowed to attend, backed the referee when next to nobody else would.

On both occasions, Willie Collum was the official.

So, I’ve got that down as two wrong decisions out of two. You may disagree. It’s a free country. Although if you believe Dicker did enough to even merit a foul then take a long hard look at yourself.

Rangers striker Alfredo Morelos got his red card rescinded from the first day of the season, rightly in my mind, and we will find out soon enough if Aberdeen defender Michael Devlin gets his red reversed for a "last-man" challenge on Kilmarnock’s Eamonn Brophy within five minutes of Saturday's match.

For me, that also was harsh. There was far too much distance between Brophy and the goal to call it a goal-scoring opportunity and so a free-kick and yellow ought to have sufficed.

My guess, given what has gone on so far this season, is that the sending off will be upheld. Again, in my mind, that would be the wrong call.

Football supporters are tribal in their nature and tribalism does bring out the worst in people and makes normally responsible adults act as if they are petulant 12-year-olds.

Let’s be honest, had Craig Gordon did what McGregor did, those who saw it as a red card would back the SFA and, of course, those incredibly earnest ones now claiming their goalie did little wrong would be screaming to high heaven about the Celtic man being sent to the stocks.

There is an abundance of evidence over years and years to back this up.

I don’t for a minute believe that in 2018 there is a conspiracy, led by either Mr Billy or Mr Tim, inside Hampden. It’s just there are too many of them in there, and those hired as experts by the SFA and SPFL, simply aren’t up to the job.

But the biggest problem by far is the lack of communication.

Why is there not a proper public statement explaining these decisions? When there is silence, as there always is, it will be filled by all sorts of claims, nonsense and theories which even David Icke would consider a bit weird.

Scottish football deserves better than this. Even the President of the United States is on Twitter. Okay, he’s a loony but that’s beside the point.

We should be told who makes the decisions because they must take responsibility instead of hiding behind anonymity as if they were in MI5. They need to explain how they came to those conclusions which would offer some clarity when right now there is next to none.

It’s a nonsense referees aren’t allowed to speak out, even if they were given 24 hours to reflect on the game. It makes them look scared and guilty.

I want to know why McGregor’s deliberate kick wasn’t viewed as forceful because it certainly looked like that, although spare me the sanctimonious nonsense of him wanting to injure Ajer. This is fitba. Folk get kicked sometimes.

It’s time all of us did a bit of growing up.

And another thing

A RARE weekend off had me standing in a field watching music and pretending I’m still young.

Among my company were three Dundee lads, all Dark Blues to their core. They were taken to Dens Park as kids and, as we agreed, you can’t change your team.

Even if, as they all admitted, nobody would choose to be a Dundee fan.

They want Neil McCann out. As a player he is a hero but four league defeats from four made the guys want a change in the manager’s office.

One of them even made a banner, at a music festival, demanding ‘McCann oot’. It will probably happen. Whether the "Wenger In" request will be heard is up for debate.