Greg Aitken is from Kilmarnock, attended Kilmarnock Academy and has lived in Kilmarnock.
This isn’t an internet rumour, it is on his Facebook profile. Alongside a fun picture with Ally McCoist, the former Kilmarnock striker.
With three teams involved in the SPFL title race the destiny of the trophy could go down to small margins.
AITKEN OF KILMARNOCK- HEAVILY CONFLICTED
On Sunday the SFA have put Aitken on VAR duty for Celtic’s match at Kilmarnock.
Honest Willie Collum is the Head of Refereeing at the SFA,
There are six SPFL Premiership fixtures over the weekend. Collum could have put Aitken on duty at any of those matches but has chosen the match involving his hometown club.
Aitken, Kilmarnock
Aitken and Andrew Dallas are the two full time VAR officials on the SFA payroll.
Sunday isn’t the first time that Aitken has been appointed for a Kilmarnock v Celtic match, it seems to be something of a tradition inside the SFA.
In January 2023 he was on VAR duty for Kilmarnock’s League Cup semi-final against Celtic at Hampden.
At the start of the 24/25 season Aitken was the VAR for the SPFL opener with Celtic hosting Kilmarnock.
Leading 4-0 going into the closing stages Matt O’Riley dinked a quickly taken free kick over the wall with Kyogo Furuhashi quickly on the move
So to was Robbie McCrorie, he came off his line and wiped out the Celtic forward.
Don Robertson decided not to punish the clear free kick. Aitken had the benefit of various angles and slow motion, the match was on Sky Sports. He chose not to over-ride his colleague Robertson.
Decision making like that has kept Aitken on the lucrative VAR circuit. He won’t be anywhere near the 2026 World Cup Finals in the summer.
Ryan Lee, who refereed the Celtic v Dundee Scottish Cup tie will be Aitken’s Assistant VAR. Duncan Nicolson will referee the match at Rugby Park.