Every word of Simon Jordan's astonishing Celtic VAR rant

Simon Jordan has branded the 99th‑minute award against Motherwell “scandalously bad” and insists only a five‑goal hammering of Derek McInnes’ side would remove all doubt over the integrity of the title race.

“It's a scandalously bad decision,” he said. “It's a scandalously bad decision, and the only rectification of the decision is that I hope Celtic are able to beat Hearts at the weekend 5-0.

“Because that would then prove the point that ultimately it wouldn't have made that much difference, because they would have had to score that amount of goals.

"That's the only way this becomes some sort of validation, that Hearts turn up on the weekend and get pumped 5-0, which they won't, at Celtic, and all the arguments dissipate.”

John Beaton’s call to point to the spot for an apparent Sam Nicholson handball allowed Kelechi Iheanacho to grab a 99th‑minute winner, leaving Celtic needing just a victory over the league leaders instead of a multi‑goal swing on the final day.

Martin O’Neill insisted afterwards the award was “clear cut”, but his former talkSPORT sparring partner was having none of it – and accused Celtic and their rivals of hypocrisy over refereeing standards.

Jordan added: “If Martin O'Neill had had a penalty given against him like that, he would have gone Garrity. He would have gone berserk because that was an appalling decision. I don't think anybody at any point can find any validation for that decision besides the guy who ultimately gave it, which is the referee and the VAR asking him to intervene.

“You listen to the pundits, and I know some of them are seeded in a dislike for Celtic, whether it's Kris Boyd or whoever else. But across the board, whoever was on that panel for different reasons.

"I know that Derek McInnes has gone hard and he may regret those words because it will be built up as a narrative leading up to the game about its disgusting. But you know what? I think he's been a fabulous manager all season. I think Hearts deserve to win the league and I really hope that they go and win it at Celtic Park.

“Because the story is not Rangers and Celtic for the good reasons, it's the demise of Rangers and Celtic and the uptick of another club. That's why everyone in England and everywhere else is talking about it, it's brought fascination to this league.

“Whereas before, it was just predictability, with the arrogance of the Old Firm teams who can't even get themselves together to get fans inside the stadium. It's an absolute delight to everyone who supports football to see someone else come out of the ether to do something different, to break up the monopoly.

“And here we are at the business end of the season and people going ‘oh hello, is this a confected outcome to make sure it stays with the establishment?’

“It's not a penalty, but he (McInnes) has to do his job now. What he'll cleverly do is he'll create a spirit of us against them, put the referees on notice that ultimately there's a real feeling that there's a bias and the situation has been engineered in a certain way.

“So that sort of language may not be as ill advised as it first sounds. because it will create this temperature of everybody doubling down, watching and making sure nothing happens on the weekend that gives anybody cause to be outraged.

“Hearts missed their opportunity against Motherwell. They could have beaten Motherwell themselves but they drew. He's got to do his job now. The idea that they want to talk about whataboutery or John Beaton was in the VAR against them last week and penalties weren't given, that's all got to be taken to one side.

“Just concentrate on this one decision. This one decision was scandalously bad. It was scandalously bad and that referee shouldn't be anywhere near referring that game or any game in the immediate future because of that decision. It's that bad.

“It needs responsible people. If they want this refereeing fraternity to up their game, we've got to cut the disingenuous crap out. Martin O'Neill should be saying honestly, that he doesn't think that's a penalty. If he never says that then he will never get it changed.

“When it comes your way and the bad decisions aren't called out, you cannot cry and squeal like stuck pigs. You've got to be honest about things; otherwise, you're never going to make these situations change because you only do it when it affects you and not when it doesn't.

“I know that might be a human trait, but you are the ones that are constantly complaining about inconsistency, and the inconsistency starts with you. When it suits you, you say nothing about it. When it doesn't suit you, you scram like stuck pigs.

"So you've got to have the mentality of saying we as a unit, we as football managers and participants are not accepting these poor decisions because even when it goes our way, we've got the candour, the honesty and the integrity to call it for what it is.

“No. You're hypocrites, the lot of you.”