Kai Fotheringham’s afternoon at Ibrox lasted barely half an hour, but it has dominated the conversation after St Johnstone’s heavy defeat. Ten-man Saints lost 4-0 to Rangers at a very wet Ibrox, with the red card arriving in the 74th minute. (perthstjohnstonefc)
The St Johnstone forward had come on at half-time, and for the next 15 minutes St Johnstone were the better side. Fotheringham himself had a effort at goal before things turned. He was sent off following a VAR review after he had caught Nico Raskin with a follow-through challenge after winning the ball. (thefalse9) (perthstjohnstonefc)
The decision was far from clear-cut in the moment. Referee Chris Graham initially allowed play to continue, but after a VAR review he was advised to consult the pitchside monitor, and a lengthy delay followed before the straight red was produced. Rangers already led 3-0 by then, which made the dismissal feel more like a footnote to the scoreline than the turning point, though it did end Saints’ brief second-half spell of promise. (britbrief)
Opinion has split sharply. Pundits James McFadden and Steven Thompson believe the red card was wrong, with McFadden suggesting the referee looked unsure about the call. Others disagree: ex-referee Keith Hackett argued the challenge amounted to serious foul play, according to Ibrox News. Even St Johnstone’s own manager Simo Valakari said he had no complaints with the decision. (Rangers v St Johnstone red card verdict: McFadden and Thompson disagree with sending off – Brit Brief +2)
That leaves Saints in an awkward spot. Fotheringham reportedly protested his innocence on the pitch, but his boss isn’t backing an appeal narrative. Whether the club challenges the card is the real question now, and any official word on that will come through the SFA process. For now, the debate is about VAR, follow-throughs and where the line sits between winning the ball and recklessness.
