‘Disgraceful’ ‘full on lodge onslaught’ ‘he’ll make some terrible calls’ Aberdeen fans braced for the full Beaton treatment

Aberdeen fans are preparing for the full John Beaton treatment when their side take on Phil Clement’s exciting young team on Wednesday night.

With the stakes so high it was well anticipated that the SFA would put Beaton in charge of the Pittodrie fixture with the only consolation being that Andrew Dallas hasn’t been given the VAR gig.

Don Robertson will be watching the action on a screen alongside his colleague with a full midweek card of six Premiership fixtures to test Willie Collum and his team.

Beaton is a regular for this fixture with James Tavernier the top scorer in matches between the two clubs over the last eight years.

The background and allegiances of the man from Bellshill are well known, underlined earlier this year when a School Year Book surfaced highlighting the ambitions of the young Cannonball.

Aberdeen got a taste of what to expect when Steven McLean refereed their match against Dundee United on Saturday.

Play will be slowed down at every opportunity, the Disadvantage Rule will be in full use as St Mirren discovered at Ibrox on Saturday when Calum Scott opted out of awarding a penalty to give the Paisley side a free kick 45 yards from goal.

It will be a new experience for Dons boss Jimmy Thelin but his staff will have him well braced over what to expect.

One bonus for the Dons is that Connor Goldson won’t be involved, a year ago in the fixture he staged his famous delayed dive to earn an 88th minute penalty which saved Clement from an early set-back to his Revolution!

Trailing Aberdeen by six points is bad enough, if that was to stretch to nine points things would become very precarious for Clement with the Ibrox board well aware that an AGM has to be called before the turn of the year.

Presenting a shiny new manager to the media alongside spending plans for January is a favoured tactic by the club, if Beaton performs in line with expectations that process could be delayed but Clement knows that he is one domestic defeat away from a full on mutiny from the Union Bears.