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The Rangers Fan Advisory Board have told Willie Collum to forget apologising over the Premier Sports Cup semi-final, ditch the Youtube script and whip refs into shape instead. Record Sport revealed that the SFA head of referees was set to give Gers a public explanation as to why Auston Trusty was only booked and not sent off during Sunday's clash at Hampden after kicking Jack Butland in the head. It's now understood that he has sat down with Ibrox chief executive Patrick Stewart. However, the FAB have no interest in any apology that might be forthcoming or what Collum has to say on his VAR review show screened on YouTube. Instead, they want him to back an independent review into the standard of officiating in Scotland after listing numerous incidents they still feel aggrieved. by in a lengthy statement. It read: "Rangers fans are still waiting for Willie Collum and the SFA’s refereeing department to apologise following the abysmal performance of their team, publicly admitted, in last season’s League Cup final. "Despite their mea culpa, we didn’t hold our breath for an apology then and we won’t be holding it now following yet another erratic, dysfunctional and error-strewn performance in Sunday’s League Cup semi-final. "The time for apologies has long since come and gone. Only a fully independent review of the standards, structures and performance at all levels of the SFA’s refereeing department can repair the damage caused - if it isn’t already irreparable- by too many woeful on field decisions. "This is frequently compounded by the judgement calls by a group of VAR officials whose performance levels suggest they are no longer fit for purpose, if they ever were in the first place. "The inexplicable decision not to at least call for a VAR review when Jack Butland was kicked in the head in first half injury time at Hampden was as negligent as the decision by referee Nick Walsh not to issue a straight red card in the first place was worrying. "It defies belief that Walsh could deem the incident only worthy of a caution when a significantly less serious clash involving Mohamed Diomande at Dundee United last season resulted in a red card, even after a VAR review. "Sunday’s incident is the latest in a line of perplexing, head-scratching decisions awarded against Rangers, particularly in Old Firm matches, since the introduction of VAR three years ago. T"he SFA conceded there were 26 incorrect decisions made by VAR last season. Rangers were on the receiving end of five, more than any other Scottish club. "Too often, as witnessed in the aftermath of last season’s League Cup final, poor performances go largely unchecked, the pool of allegedly capable officials so small they are quickly welcomed back into the fold while supporter anger and frustration still burns. "We know followers of many other clubs in Scotland share our serious misgivings around the quality and accountability of refereeing in this country. "Collum talks a good game but the evidence does not suggest his tenure as Head of Refereeing is making any difference whatsoever to the standards and consistency of performance from his teams, particularly on high pressure occasions. "Collum has spoken about embracing change and improving transparency, even if much of his dialogue with the Scottish football public is from carefully scripted YouTube performances. "If he really believed in best practice he should have no issues with backing an independent review into his department, looking at all aspects of refereeing including, as we see it, a flawed VAR regime, with all the resulting errors that involves. "We’re happy to meet with him any time - unscripted - to voice our concerns on behalf of Rangers fans after yet another shocking call against us in a Scottish football showpiece that deserves better than the refereeing and VAR errors we are too often being forced to endure."
