Rangers told to forget Willie Collum demand over Celtic penalty row as ex-ref says 'it's not up you'

Former top ref Steve Conroy says Rangers have no right to demand Willie Collum be banned from any involvement in their matches. The Ibrox club are understood to have requested the SFA no longer consider the experienced official for any game involving Philippe Clement’s side as the Old Firm ‘penalty’ row rumbles on.

But ex-Category 1 ref Conroy says that’s entirely the SFA’s call as he urged Hampden beaks to release VAR audio of the derby flashpoint amid a brewing war of claim and counterclaim. Conroy, who retired 12 years ago, accepts scrutiny is rightly part and parcel of refereeing these days. But he is uncomfortable with the ongoing fall out from Saturday's derby and the first half flashpoint where on-field referee Nick Walsh and VAR Collum failed to award a penalty for handball against Alistair Johnston.

He reckons Rangers had a strong case with their appeals at the time of the incident. Indeed he believes it was a clear penalty. But when it wasn’t given that should have been the end of the matter.

Rangers chief executive James Bisgrove and director of football operations Creag Robertson met with SFA head of referee operations Crawford Allan on Wednesday to discuss their concerns over the background to the incident.

A Gers spokesperson later claimed there had been an “overriding consensus” at the meeting that Collum had got it wrong - something Record Sport understands the SFA strongly dispute. They added that the club had made a “number of specific requests” to the SFA. It’s understood one of those is for Collum to no longer be considered for officiating at their matches with another being that the VAR audio is made public.

Speaking to Record Sport , Conroy - half of the Get Involved Referee podcast alongside