Rangers’ Jack Butland finds Auston Trust’s decision ‘difficult to accept’

Rangers’ Jack Butland admitted he found it “hard to accept” the decision not to send off Auston Trusty in Sunday’s Scottish League Cup semi-final, while the Celtic defender insisted he only “passed” the goalkeeper.

Trusty’s boot appeared to make contact with Butland’s head, as referee Nick Walsh issued a yellow card, while there was no VAR intervention.

The referee left Rangers “concerned about the consistency of the refereeing” as Celtic won 3-1 in extra time.

The Scottish Football Association’s Key Match Incident (KMI) Review Panel held that Walsh had made the wrong decision with a two-to-one ruling.

“Was there a tremendous amount of malice?” Butland asked. “Not necessarily. You might like to think you’re protected, to some extent, from things like this.”

“When I saw it afterwards, it was probably later than I thought in real time as well. So, it’s hard to accept.

“It is difficult to accept that this may be a precedent that will continue if this situation is similar against any team, no matter who it is.

“Obviously, with the addition of all the help that referees are probably getting at the moment, we can only hope going forward that the right decisions are made and remain as fair as possible.”

Speaking later in the day, Tracey explained: “I didn’t think much about it, I apologize and you see my hand [going up] To say I’m sorry.

“It doesn’t matter, rivalry or whatever, it’s just not the kind of human I am.”

The USA international was the Shepherds’ player in the match at Hampden and added: “I tapped him, I didn’t hit him in the head.

“I didn’t actually mean it, you can see my behavior and reaction when I patted him on the head.

“No one intends to hit someone in the head or kick someone in the head, I hit them in the head, that’s all it was.

“It’s just Rangers and Celtic. No matter which team gets a positive result, the other side will say anything, and that’s the way football works in this country and with this rivalry, I don’t think you can really escape that.”