Masterstroke: Thomson's red card for Thomson's tackle on Thomson was exactly what Rangers needed. Pic: ©SNS Group
As regular readers of this page will know, I've never adhered to the popular conspiracy theory that referees go out of their way to help Rangers. But after Craig Thomson's performance in Sunday's Co-operative Insurance Cup final win over St Mirren, I'm simply not so sure anymore.
The Ibrox club were overwhelming favourites to beat the Saints, who were appearing in their first major final in 23 years and who had not registered a win in five previous meetings between the clubs this season. That the Buddies occupy second-bottom place in the SPL offered another pointer towards Walter Smith's side chalking off the first part of a potential treble.
However, in the first half the Govan men struggled. Gus MacPherson's men were bright, energetic and enthusiastic while Rangers plodded away as only Rangers can do. The Paisley side continued on the ascendancy in the early stages of the second half until, somewhat confusingly, Thomson sent off Thomson for a foul on Thomson.
Referee Craig Thomson must have sensed that Rangers and their fans needed something to get them going, a cause to rally round. So he brazenly reached for the red card when Light Blues' midfielder Kevin Thomson lunged at Buddies' midfielder Steven Thomson.
For the first time that afternoon the Rangers fans were heard. In their minds, if we take as evidence the vitriolic chants against the referee which followed, recent weeks and months of carping from Celtic and other clubs about officials giving the Ibrox side decisions had influenced the referee.
But they read the situation wrong. Thomson, the referee, not the Rangers player who swaggers although he has nothing to swagger about, was simply energising the Light Blues.
Down to 10 men, Rangers rallied. The tempo of the game increased, the extra yard was being run, the tackles and headers were being put in but as the minutes ticked away it seemed that the loss of one man wasn't enough.
So the referee sent off another one. Teenage defender Danny Wilson was second in to the showers for tugging at St Mirren substitute Craig Dargo as he raced towards Neil Alexander in the Rangers goal.
The Scottish Football League would have been as well putting the red, white and blue ribbons on the cup there and then and calling David Weir up the Hampden steps to collect it. It would have saved us all 20 minutes or so.
Rangers fans were incensed and they railed vociferously against the referee, if not the world. They also roared their team on and the Ibrox players took inspiration from the perceived sense of injustice.
The referee's calculated ploy paid off minutes from time when Kenny Miller rose to head Steven Naismith's cross past Paul Gallacher and a game that had earlier threatened to escape Smith's side ended in glory.
Of course, I jest about Craig Thomson. He made those two big decisions for no other reason than they were right. That Rangers responded positively to them was neither here nor there, as far as he was concerned.
You can excuse young Wilson for his mistake. Despite the hype that surrounds him he is a long way from the finished article and he perhaps panicked when caught for pace by Dargo but Smith accepted the decision.
The Rangers boss was less sure about Thomson's dismissal, calling it "soft". But for most people, it was simply another example of Thomson trying to ingratiate himself with the Rangers support by acting the part of an enforcer. It is way past time someone at Ibrox took him aside to tell him that football isn't like that any more. Yellow and red cards do not maketh a midfielder.
He could do well to look at team mate Miller who for all his faults, and God knows I've bored many people highlighting them, is a player of true courage. When people lecture about having to have the right mentality to play for the Old Firm, they should put a picture of the former Celtic striker on their Powerpoint presentation.
Playing through suspicion and indifference at Parkhead, where he arrived as an ex-Ranger, then battling past naked hatred at Ibrox when he returned for a second spell, he has never once shirked his responsibilities.
His goal on Sunday had a touch of class about it and afterwards he admitted feeling "goosebumps" on hearing the Rangers fans chant his name for the first time since he arrived back at Ibrox in the summer of 2008. He deserved that and more.
In praising Miller as an individual, the team spirit and attitude at Rangers has to be again acknowledged. There is something about winning a cup final with nine men, a second-choice keeper, a centre-back who is almost 40 and a striker playing in defence that makes me question Scottish football.
However, in the wake of a remarkable cup triumph, that would be churlish. Smith's squad possess a determination and a tenaciousness that is associated more closely with the Rangers teams of Jock Wallace.
The Ibrox men again showed that regardless of what criticisms are levelled against them with regards their style of football, they are never found wanting when it comes to the fight.
