There has been a marked shift in post-match coverage of Celtic’s 2-1 victory over Motherwell.
Mainstream outlets have focussed on the red card shown to Callum McGregor, congratulating John Beaton for his decision making with no other scrutiny of the official or comparison with perhaps Don Robertson and James Sands last month.
On social media there has been a massive focus on a real game changing decision when Beaton decided not to award Celtic a penalty when Ricki Lamie deliberately handled a cross from Liel Abada.
The Lanarkshire referee has a long history of similar decision making, coming through the ranks over the last decade with Bobby Madden. Two of a kind in so many ways.
Beaton’s crowning glory came in December 2018 when he went overboard with Alfredo Morelos in a Glasgow derby.
The Ibrox Tribute Act beat the champions for the first time in the SPFL with their Colombian able to inflict injury on opponents without any fear of punishment from the man with the whistle. Scott Brown, Ryan Christie and Tony Ralston were the main targets, later that night there was much high-fiving at the Crown Inn, Bellshill.
On 4 January 2019, six days after the stormy Ibrox clash, Celtic finally addressed the issue:
Celtic Football Club is surprised that there will be no disciplinary action taken by the Scottish FA regarding the incidents during the match on December 29, which have been widely addressed in the media.
It is reported that no action was taken because the match referee saw all of the incidents in question.
Given that the referee took no action at the time, this tends to suggest that such conduct, which in one instance led to a Celtic player, Anthony Ralston, being injured, is acceptable in Scottish football. That cannot be right.
On the day, Celtic did not play well enough to win the match, something we accept. However, this issue goes beyond the result of the match.
Celtic is not the only club this season to raise concerns regarding the standard of officiating at matches in Scotland, concerns which have also been shared by many commentators on the game.
In order to fully understand what is going on, Celtic, our supporters, Scottish clubs and the general Scottish football public need transparency in these matters, and we therefore call on the Scottish FA to allow the referee, John Beaton, to explain these decisions publicly as well as any match officials involved in other similar circumstances.
In the meantime, we have requested a meeting with Scottish FA Chief Executive, Ian Maxwell, and the Association’s Head of Refereeing.
After tea and biscuits with his pal Maxwell at Hampden Lawwell was reminded of some issues from 2011 and 2012 with his issues over Beaton swiftly dropped. In 2020 the Bellshill based referee was given the top honour when he was put in charge of the Celtic v Hearts Scottish Cup Final.
I’m not sure about this but:
Has Beaton ever awarded a penalty to Celtic?
Has Beaton ever sent off a sevco player?
First question…I think so, but only when we were already 3 up or similar circumstances where the opposition were already fecked beyond recovery…second question I don’t know but I really doubt it somehow. If he did it will have probably been at a time when the league was over and it would have little impact on his beloved evil sewer rats.
Silence yet again by the yellow faced cowards of Celtic FC’s custodians when it comes to Scottish Match Officials – Only once Kyogo is snapped in two and out for the season and Sevco potentially nick the league will there maybe just maybe be a morsel of weasel mealy mouthed words spoken if at all…
I’ll credit the Sevco directors / management like Gerrard one thing – if they seen what even nobody else would – an injustice in their eyes, they would shout from the high heavens with every sinew of their fibre being about this…
Sad to say it, but true non the less – their custodians would put our ones to eternal shame regarding this very important subject !
Shitebags one and all.