Fraser Forster can brace himself for some extra physical work against Ross County on Saturday with John Beaton refereeing the match.
Beaton was in charge of Sevco’s Scottish Cup tie against Albion Rovers when he allowed a late goal to stand despite Bilel Mohsni using his hand to put the ball in the net after barging Rovers keeper Neil Parry to reach the ball.
During the match at Ibrox four Rovers players were booked with Ian Black of the home side also cautioned. Earlier in the campaign Beaton also took charge of Sevco’s Scottish Cup win over Airdrie United at Ibrox.
Despite the criticism that he received for his handling of the Mohsni goal Beaton appears to be heading up the refereeing ladder with his appointment for the Celtic v Ross County match.
Beaton is another product of the Lanarkshire Refereeing Association and has gone on record to state that disgraced bigot Hugh Dallas was the biggest influence on his refereeing career.
In his last Celtic appointment, the 4-0 win away to St Mirren in January Emilio Izaguirre, Efe Ambrose and Scott Brown were all booked as well as St Mirren substitute Lee Mair.
Tonight’s Partick Thistle v Celtic match will be refereed by Stevie McLean whose brother Brian plays for Ross County and previously Northern Ireland at u-21 level.
McLean was in charge of the recent Aberdeen v Inverness Caley Thistle League Cup Final during which he ignored a fairly obvious late penalty claim for the highlanders.
After the final whistle Caley Thistle boss John Hughes said: “It might have been a different outcome because I felt we were denied a stonewall penalty with Richie Foran. It was a stonewaller, even from where I was in the dugout. You saw the reaction of my players, so that was disappointing.”
