John Beaton named Gers-Celtic referee weeks after Rodgers called him incompetent
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JOHN BEATON will take charge of the biggest game of the Scottish season so far – just four weeks after Celtic boss Brendan Rodgers branded him ‘incompetent’.
The Hoops boss landed a one-match ban – with another suspended – after blasting Beaton’s interventions from the VAR room as Celtic lost 2-0 at Hearts.
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But now the whistler is back in the limelight – after the SFA referees department and outgoing chief Crawford Allan gave him a major vote of confidence ahead of Sunday’s huge Old Firm clash at Ibrox.
He’ll be supported by Nick Walsh in the VAR room, with Willie Collum the fourth official.
It was a difficult decision for outgoing referees’ chief Allan, after recent controversy surrounding both halves of the Old Firm.
It’s highly unusual for a match official to do two Old Firm games in a row.
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September’s Ibrox clash went to Don Robertson, with Alan Muir on VAR – while January’s re-match at Celtic Park was officiated by Walsh, with Collum on VAR.
Hardly surprisingly given the nature of these fixtures, there was major controversy in both games – with Muir’s intervention leading to a Kemar Roofe ‘goal’ being disallowed after a challenge from Cyriel Dessers on Gustaf Lagerbieke in the first match.
The Ibrox side asked for Collum not to take charge of any more of their games after the whistler declined to ask Walsh to take another look at a potential penalty award against Alistair Johnston.
That’s despite the fact an offside call would have ruled the ‘goal’ out in any case.
It’s the third Glasgow grudge match of the season – with another one to come at Parkhead before the end of the campaign.
Since then, Collum has presided over just one Rangers match – a home Scottish Cup clash against Ayr Utd.
But SFA bosses insisted he was in the frame for an Old Firm match this season – possibly even the next one.
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The SFA have said they will not allow clubs to determine which referees to do which matches.
Last season they used FIVE different referees for the six meetings – Nick Walsh (twice), with Don Robertson, John Beaton, Willie Collum and Kevin Clancy all also taking charge of Glasgow grudge matches.
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