Neil Lennon condemns 'moronic' threats to referee but stands by criticism

Lennon yesterday reacted with dismay to the news that Collum had received threatening telephone calls from anonymous callers in the aftermath of Sunday's Old Firm match, which saw him award Rangers a hotly disputed penalty-kick in their 3-1 win at Celtic Park.

Celtic's anger at the decision has seen them write to SFA chief executive Stewart Regan for the second successive week to demand clarification. Last week, they queried the process which saw Dougie McDonald rescind his award of a penalty to Celtic during their 2-1 win over Dundee United at Tannadice, sparking a furore which saw linesman Steven Craven tender his resignation on Monday.

Lennon strongly rebutted suggestions Celtic are seeking to place undue pressure on referees, a charge levelled at them by Rangers manager Walter Smith immediately after the Old Firm match. Insisting he has been largely supportive of referees since becoming Celtic manager, Lennon expressed his concern over the threats made to Collum and his family.

"It is desperate," said Lennon. "I don't want this to overspill into something harmful to Willie's health or well-being. It is a football game and people have to remember that. You can't help the fact there is a moronic element out there in the aftermath of an Old Firm game. It's a pity, but it means so much to so many people. I'm sure it is drink-fuelled as well. We are also living in the age of the internet where people can say and write what they like, stoke up a lot of trouble and provoke emotions in the aftermath of games. Sometimes it's out of control."

Since joining Celtic as a player in 2000, Lennon has experienced his own well publicised problems in the Old Firm spotlight. The former club captain has been subjected to death threats and was also the victim of a criminal assault.

"They couldn't even get the threat right, they spelled it Lennon P.I.R.," he added. "But it wasn't just me. I lived beside Mikel Arteta of Rangers for a while and his car was damaged. I know Nacho Novo had problems as well. It can be an unpleasant environment to work in, but I've been entrenched in it for ten years now.

"Nothing surprises me about it any more. I actually missed it when I went away for a year. I was delighted when I came back. I love the job, the challenge of it. You have your good days and your bad days, but you can't let the exaggeration of it all affect you. The highs are high, but the lows are so much lower.The best thing you can do is get up in the morning, look yourself in the mirror and say that you have to pick yourself up and go again."

While he empathised with Collum, however, Lennon remains firm in his contention that Celtic have a justifiable grievance to pursue against the 31-year-old referee.

"If there is a perception that Celtic are putting pressure on referees, it is an unfair perception," said Lennon. "To be fair, I have been pretty supportive of referees. I have had a good relationship with them. But when there are decisions like that, I have to answer questions as honestly as I can.

"If that's a criticism of referees, so be it. I don't have anything against them personally or professionally. I'm not the first manager to complain about refereeing decisions , so I don't know why it is being exaggerated so much. Maybe it's because the game is so high profile.

"Up until last week, I had never had a problem with referees. But when you get a decision as controversial as the one at Tannadice last week and another one in a big game on Sunday, we have the right to ask questions.

"I never got the opportunity to speak to the referee on Sunday. Having watched it again, I am still not convinced he saw the incident properly. I don't know how he can be 100 per cent sure it is a penalty. If he saw it again, I don't think he'd think it was a penalty.

"I don't think it was a penalty and I think the majority of people agree with me. It's not me who is making a big issue of referees. I didn't do it until last week. But if I feel a controversial decision goes against us, I have the right to ask the question.

"We have written to Stewart Regan asking for clarification. It is not sour grapes. I am sorry to hear Steven Craven has resigned. These guys do it for the love of the game, they make a lot of sacrifices to get to this level of the game. I don't know the reason why he has made his decision."

Celtic return to action tonight when they face St Johnstone at McDiarmid Park in the quarter-finals of the Co-operative Insurance Cup and Lennon wants an instant response from his players to Sunday's result.

"We didn't do ourselves justice and I have to look at myself and the team," he said. "We've got two games against St Johnstone this week and we want to be in the semi-finals of the League Cup by Thursday. I'm looking for a big reaction."