ST. MIRREN BOSS CRAIG McLEISH MAKES STUNNING CELTIC CLAIM AS VAR CHAOS SPARKS CALLS FOR SPFL INVESTIGATION

St Mirren manager Craig McLeish has found himself at the centre of a growing controversy after his side’s dramatic 2–1 defeat to Celtic, with serious questions now being raised about the standard of officiating and VAR procedures in Scottish football.

The result itself was overshadowed by a series of controversial incidents at the SMiSA Stadium, including technical problems that disrupted communication between referee Ryan Lee and the VAR team. The problems became particularly significant when Celtic had another goal ruled out for offside after the automated VAR lines reportedly failed to appear.

St Mirren had taken the lead through Nikolas Agrafiotis from the penalty spot after VAR intervened to review a handball involving Celtic defender Liam Scales. Scales later made amends by heading Celtic level, before Yang Hyun-Jun completed the turnaround in the second half.

But rather than the final score being the biggest talking point, attention quickly turned towards the officiating.

The most contentious moment came when VAR technology encountered problems and the officials were forced to operate without the usual automated assistance. That immediately raised concerns over whether the correct procedures had been followed and whether Scottish football needs greater transparency when technology fails during a match.

For McLeish, the situation will inevitably be frustrating. St Mirren had entered the match in excellent form and had been one of the surprise packages of the opening weeks of the Premiership season. The Buddies had collected 10 points from their first four league matches before facing Celtic, giving them genuine belief that they could compete with the league leaders.

The defeat therefore represents more than simply three points lost.

St Mirren competed strongly against Celtic and even led the champions at half-time. Celtic ultimately showed their quality after the break, but the officiating controversy has ensured that the discussion surrounding the match will continue long after the final whistle.

There have already been calls for the relevant authorities to examine exactly what happened behind the scenes. However, it is important to distinguish between calls for an investigation and an actual disciplinary ruling.

At present, there is no verified official announcement confirming that Celtic will receive a points deduction as a result of Saturday’s incidents. Likewise, there is no confirmed announcement that referee Ryan Lee has been suspended over the VAR problems.

Any punishment would require the appropriate football authorities to establish that a rule or regulation had been breached and determine what sanction, if any, should follow.

That distinction has not stopped the controversy from gaining momentum.

Scottish football has already faced intense scrutiny over refereeing standards, and the latest VAR problems will only add fuel to that debate. Supporters want consistency, transparency and confidence that technology is being used correctly when major decisions can influence matches.

The incident involving Celtic’s disallowed goal is particularly significant because the decision reportedly had to be made manually after the automated offside system failed. While the eventual decision was considered correct, the circumstances surrounding it have naturally raised questions about the reliability of the process.

For Celtic, the controversy comes after another important league victory. Yang’s winner moved Martin O’Neill’s side five points clear at the top of the Premiership, maintaining their perfect league start.

For St Mirren, however, the performance offered plenty of encouragement despite the disappointment of defeat.

McLeish has repeatedly insisted that his players must continue improving and refuse to become carried away by their impressive start. His side had already beaten Kilmarnock 1–0 earlier in the week, recording another clean sheet and showing the defensive discipline that has transformed their early-season campaign.

Now the focus turns towards what happens next.

The SPFL and Scottish football authorities could face pressure to explain the technical problems that occurred during the match and clarify what procedures officials are expected to follow when VAR technology becomes unavailable.

If an official review is launched, supporters will expect answers rather than vague explanations.

Was the correct protocol followed?

Were all the relevant officials properly prepared for a VAR outage?

And most importantly, can supporters trust that future decisions will be handled consistently when the technology fails?

Those questions are likely to dominate the aftermath.

For now, Celtic retain the three points and remain top of the Premiership. St Mirren are left wondering what might have been after a performance that deserved considerable credit.

But the biggest story may not be the 2–1 scoreline.

It could be what the authorities decide about the VAR controversy that followed it.