John Beaton will referee Sunday’s Glasgow Derby just 10 days after Brendan Rodgers was found guilty of describing the Bellshill based official as incompetent.
Beaton has been a regular on the fixture since 2017 but hasn’t been directly involved since the 2-2 draw at Ibrox on 2 January 2023 when Celtic were denied a penalty when a shot from Carl Starfelt was blocked by Connor Goldson using both hands.
Earlier the homeside had been awarded a penalty when Fashion Sakala dived into Starfelt with a penalty awarded without hesitation.
That match was the first Derby fixture with VAR in operation, watching in a studio Willie Collum was as quiet as a mouse with no interventions or requests for Beaton to check on the pitchside monitor.
🚨 BREAKING: John Beaton has been appointed as the referee for this weekend’s Old Firm with the VAR also revealed. ⬇️https://t.co/dAit10PkUD
— Clyde 1 Superscoreboard (@ClydeSSB) April 2, 2024
Nick Walsh, Don Robertson, Kevin Clancy and Steven McLean were in charge of the four subsequent Derby matches last season as Celtic swept to the Treble, Robertson and Walsh have refereed both of this season’s fixtures.
Beaton has a lengthy track record of inconsistent decision making, in January 2018 a reluctant Peter Lawwell reached for the disappointed statement template following a match at Ibrox that saw Alfredo Morelos go unpunished for attacks on Scott Brown, Tony Ralston and Ryan Christie.
After tea and biscuits with Ian Maxwell and a reminder of 27 July 2012 Lawwell never revisited the issue, in 2020 and 2023 Beaton was put in charge of the Scottish Cup Final, the unofficial Referee of the Year award dished out by Crawford Allan.
Beaton was on VAR duty for Celtic’s defeat at Tynecastle a month ago, prompting Don Robertson to send off Yang Hyun-jun and award an outrageous penalty against Tomoki Iwata.
After the decision to ban Rodgers from the dug out for one match Celtic stated:
Following a hearing by the SFA disciplinary panel today (Thursday), Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers has been issued with a two-match suspension. One match is immediate and will apply to this Sunday’s Premiership game against Livingston, while one match is suspended until the end of the 2023/24 season.
A Celtic Football Club statement said: “Clearly, we are disappointed with the outcome of today’s hearing, although we will accept the panel’s decision.
“The Manager appeared at the hearing today, and his defence was presented robustly and thoroughly.
“Like many other clubs, we will continue to press for the highest standards in relation to the VAR process in Scottish football.”
The drive for the highest standards will be put to the test on Sunday at Ibrox with Walsh in the VAR room assisting Beaton.
CLICK HERE for Nicholson’s silent approval for Alan Muir.
Least we know who the SFA want to win the league
— Max (@Max____67) April 2, 2024
Not even hiding it now, Crawford’s farewell gift. If Clyde can’t even call out the systematic cheating the old Rangers got up to, they won’t be calling out the SFA on this either!
— Normal For Norfolk (@norfolk_123) April 2, 2024
Of course he has. The new club needs the points. Everything is in place with the Referee Dream Team.
— John Molloy (@jbhoymolloy) April 2, 2024
SFA taking no chances
— Mikey mcleod (@Mikey_mcleod) April 2, 2024
BREAKING! John Beaton selected as referee for this Sunday’s clash between Rangers and Celtic at Ibrox 📋📅#cinchPrem | #celticfc | #RangersFC | #SPFL pic.twitter.com/jCIzdScLpD
— Daily Record Sport (@Record_Sport) April 2, 2024
hhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh
SFA going all in with assistance for Rangers.
— Fudroaster (@Fudroaster1) April 2, 2024
I will go for hun penalty bingo on 74th minute
— Mark (@Mark39568228) April 2, 2024
After his performance @ Hearts they’re not even trying to hide it
— Marty Kyogo 🇯🇵 – Hostage of an Involuntary Union (@martybhoy1979) April 2, 2024
Reward for a job well done against the diets.
— Shaysda (@shaysda) April 2, 2024
— youngthetongue (@youngthetongue) April 2, 2024
