Rangers fans are in disbelief after Dujon Sterling’s red card was upheld by an independent panel on appeal, with a huge sense of ‘they’re not even hiding it now’.

Ibrox Noise explained a little of the reasoning behind Don Robertson’s initial red, then upholding of that red despite the VAR review.

We are not completely shocked this one was upheld by subsequent appeal, and it goes back to two things:

1: Philippe Clement being adamant Sterling ‘slipped’. He didn’t. It was a slide tackle. Because Rangers’ boss wouldn’t concede any ground on this part, it made it harder for the review board to see his or Sterling’s side.

2: The ‘orange’ card. This was a very bad yellow card as we explained recently – it’s worse than a yellow, but wasn’t quite into nasty red territory. The appeal board have clearly decided that anything worse than a yellow has to be a red – like Robertson they rounded up.

So it was upheld – Rangers fans aren’t happy, but this is a rare occasion where either outcome was actually fair. It could have been reversed, for just being a rash yellow, but it wasn’t.

This was, remember, an independent panel as they all are, sat by lawyers, executives, etc etc. They’re independent and don’t care about allegiances.

It’s not really going to make a massive difference to the title race if Dujon Sterling (who isn’t starting matches at the moment anyway) isn’t available for a couple.

Imagine the genuine outrage and borderline diplomatic incidents if this was Butland or Lundstram?

So sure, this one went against us, but end of the day we don’t need help from the officials to win the league – we never have and we never will.

If Rangers are to win the league, we win it off our own back and not because of penalties we didn’t get or penalties ‘they’ did.

And playing the victim of a conspiracy doesn’t really suit us, in truth.

Let’s just get on with it.