Motherwell star Sam Nicholson quickly deleted his post on instagram but fans were quick to screenshot it. It has been seen and cant be unseen
*Motherwell star Sam Nicholson quickly deleted his post on Instagram – but fans were quick to screenshot it. It has been seen and can’t be unseen*
Motherwell winger Sam Nicholson learned the hard way that in 2026, “delete” doesn’t mean gone. Less than 20 minutes after posting an Instagram story following Motherwell’s 3-1 defeat to Celtic, the 31-year-old pulled it down. Too late. Screenshots were already circulating, and by Monday morning the post had gone viral across Scottish football Twitter and TikTok.
*What the post said*
The story showed a clip of the 89th-minute penalty decision that gave Celtic their third goal, with the caption:
“Seen it 10 times. Still don’t know how that’s a penalty. Getting tired of this.”
He added a shrugging emoji and tagged the location as Fir Park. Nicholson didn’t mention VAR or the referee by name, but the timing and context left little doubt about who he was aiming at.
The post was live for roughly 15 minutes before it vanished. By then, Motherwell fan accounts had already grabbed it. One post with the screenshot hit 400k views in 3 hours.
*Why it blew up*
The Celtic penalty was the third major VAR flashpoint involving Motherwell in 6 weeks. Captain Paul McGinn had already gone viral for calling the decision “something’s clearly amiss” in his post-match interview. Derek McInnes also revealed Willie Collum agreed Hearts should have had a penalty against Motherwell earlier in May.
So when Nicholson posted, it felt like the squad was speaking with one voice. Fans loved it. “Finally a player saying what we’re all thinking,” one comment read. Others warned it could land him in trouble with the SFA.
*Motherwell’s response*
Motherwell have not commented publicly, and Nicholson declined to speak to reporters after training on Monday. The club’s social team also avoided the topic, posting only training photos with the caption “Focus on Friday.”
Privately, sources say the club spoke to Nicholson about the risks of public criticism of officials. Under SFA rules, players can face charges for comments that imply bias or bring the game into disrepute. Fines of £1,000-£5,000 are common.
Nicholson is out of contract in the summer, which may explain why he felt able to post it. He’s been at Fir Park since 2023 and has made 28 appearances this season, mostly off the bench.
*The bigger frustration*
Motherwell’s anger isn’t just about one call. Manager Jens Berthel Askou said after the Celtic game: “It is a mystery and will remain a mystery for as long as I live how they can change that decision.”
Paul McGinn added that officials are “trying to defend the last decision” instead of getting the current one right. The feeling around Fir Park is that Motherwell are being penalized for speaking up, while the mistakes keep happening.
Pundits were split on the penalty itself. Kris Boyd said the ball “flew off his head” so it couldn’t have hit Nicholson’s hand with enough force to justify a penalty. Chris Sutton disagreed, arguing the arm was in an unnatural position.
*“Seen and can’t be unseen”*
That phrase has become the meme around the post. Even after deletion, the screenshot is everywhere. Fan account @MotherwellMemes posted it with the caption: “You can delete the post Sam, but you can’t delete the truth.”
It’s the kind of moment that sums up modern football. Players are closer to fans than ever through social media, but the line between venting and getting fined is thin. Nicholson crossed it, realized, and backtracked. But the message landed.
Whether the SFA takes action remains to be seen. What’s certain is that Motherwell fans feel heard, and the debate over VAR consistency in Scotland isn’t going away.
As one reply put it: “Seen and can’t be unseen. Just like that penalty.”
