GLASGOW, SCOTLAND - APRIL 07: Referee John Beaton and Willie Collum during a cinch Premiership match between Rangers and Celtic at Ibrox Stadium, on April 07, 2024, in Glasgow, Scotland. (Photo by Craig Williamson/SNS Group via Getty Images)
John Beaton, Nick Walsh and Don Robertson have been left out of refereeing SPFL Premiership fixtures this weekend, suggesting that they will be in the front line for the League Cup Final at Hampden on Sunday December 15.
It is highly unlikely that the SFA would give a cup final to a referee that hasn’t handled the Derby fixture before but David Dickinson is also missing from this weekends six top flight matches and appointments.
Chris Graham will referee Saturday’s match between Celtic and Hibs with Kevin Clancy in charge at Dingwall the following day when Phil Clement’s side visit Ross County.
Beaton and Robertson will be on VAR duty this weekend with Beaton watching the action between Aberdeen and St Johnstone with Robertson reviewing St Mirren against Motherwell from Clydesdale House, the VAR HQ of the SFA. Walsh will enjoy a free weekend away from the pressures of football and the day job at Boclair High School.
Robertson referees Celtic’s match at Aberdeen on Wednesday with Beaton in charge of the Dundee v Motherwell fixture. Walsh will be at Ibrox for the visit of Kilmarnock.
With Beaton not refereeing either club in the fortnight before the final he appears to be the favourite to be in charge at Hampden.
Steven McLean is the only current referee to have taken charge of the Glasgow Derby with his both of his matches at Ibrox, seven years apart.
Under Willie Collum some newer referees have been seen regularly in the Premiership but other than Dickinson they seem at least a season away from being involved in the leading Scottish fixture.
This year Beaton refereed the April Derby match at Ibrox, Collum the May SPFL clash at Celtic Park, Walsh the Scottish Cup Final with Beaton back in charge for Celtic’s 3-0 win at the start of September.
Refereeing the fixture three times in a calendar year would be fairly unusual but that was a trait of how Collum acted when he was armed with a whistle and cards.
Less than three weeks after the League Cup Final the teams meet at Ibrox which looks like the appointment that Dickinson and his family have been waiting on.
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Clement cd ref the game no make a difference we’ll Fukin DESTROY THEM!
And they’ll be beaten again 😉