Kevin Clancy will referee Sunday’s match between Aberdeen and Celtic.
The Glasgow based referee handled six Celtic matches last season, sending off David Turnbull at home to St Johnstone in December and Daizen Maeda away to Hibs in the last away match under Ange Postecoglou.
So far this season he has taken charge of two European ties and Motherwell’s Viaplay Cup tie against East Fife.
Graham Grainger will be the fourth official with Andrew Dallas, now enjoying a permanent salary from the SFA on VAR duty.
Sky Sports will show Sunday’s match which provides the VAR officials with additional angles in Celtic’s first visit to Pittodrie since last December. Aberdeen visited Celtic Park three times, losing 5-0 in the final SPFL match of last season.
Since that December visit Aberdeen are much changed, sending out a team to contain Celtic worked for 87 minutes but was the beginning of the end for Jim Goodwin.
With Aberdeen in third place coming out of the World Cup break being so defensive crossed a line in the sand, after a disastrous run of defeats to Hearts, Darvel and Hibs it was all over for the former St Mirren boss with Barry Robson stepping up as caretaker.
With Hearts and Hibs in free fall by springtime Robson got Aberdeen into the to six, after a win over Micky Beale’s side he was given the job on a permanent basis with third place secured.
Both Edinburgh clubs face difficult Conference League Third Round qualifiers this week while Aberdeen’s European campaign will start with a Europa League Play Off tie against Zalgiris Vilnius of Lithuania or Swedish side BK Hacken.
After their struggles at the turn of the year the UEFA draw could hardly have been kinder to Aberdeen with the lucrative safety net of a place in the Conference group draw if they lose out in the Europa League Play Off.
On Saturday Aberdeen drew their SPFL opener 0-0 away to Livingston in a match where little football was played.
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