Rangers admit astonishment at SFA response over disallowed goal v Celtic as club condemn abuse of referee

Rangers have confirmed their astonishment at the Scottish FA's response regarding the disallowed goal in the club’s 3-2 defeat to Celtic on Saturday.

The Ibrox club sought a response from the governing body over the decision by Kevin Clancy to rule out Alfredo Morelos' strike in the first-half of the match at Celtic Park. It led to criticism from manager Michael Beale who was baffled by incident.

Earlier this afternoon, it was revealed “a series of unacceptable messages” had been sent via email and phone after the Clancy’s personal and professional contact details were published online.

Ragers responded to both SFA’s claim that the disallowed goal was the correct response and the referee abuse.

“Firstly, Rangers condemns in the strongest terms any abuse of match officials," a club spokesperson said. “We are all passionate about our game, but targeted, personal abuse of referees cannot be tolerated.

“The club can confirm the Scottish FA has responded with regards to the disallowed Alfredo Morelos goal, with the response claiming the correct decision was taken. The club is astonished by this, especially given most observers, including former referees and former players, could see no issue with the goal standing.

“This comes following a weekend in England where PGMOL have offered an apology to Brighton and Hove Albion for the non-award of a penalty in their match with Tottenham Hotspur, alongside a pledge to review the incident. While an apology does not alter the outcome of a match, such responsibility and openness would be welcome in Scotland.”