GLASGOW, SCOTLAND - MARCH 01: Celtic Manager Martin O'Neill (L) and Referee John Beaton (R) shake hands at full time during a William Hill Premiership match between Rangers and Celtic at Ibrox Stadium, on March 01, 2026, in Glasgow, Scotland. (Photo by Craig Foy/SNS Group via Getty Images)
John Beaton will referee Saturday’s match between Celtic and Motherwell.
The fixture offers Martin O’Neill’s side the chance to close the gap on Hearts down to two points. Derek McInnes’ side are at Kilmarnock with an 8pm kick off on Saturday.
Beaton will certainly be familiar with the Celtic players.
Since January 13 the Lanarkshire based official has been in charge of just four matches. Two of them involving Celtic with Saturday seeming like overkill.
Beaton was injured during Celtic’s away win at Falkirk on January 14.
After a month out he was back on the pitch for the matches between Aberdeen and Motherwell on February 18.
THE JOHN BEATON FILE
Three days later he refereed the Dundee United v Kilmarnock match.
After two matches back in action he was put in charge of the March 1 Glasgow Derby at Ibrox.
Celtic came back from 2-0 down to draw the match.
No one blamed Beaton for missing the Dujon Sterling handball that led to Celtic being awarded a penalty following a pitchside VAR review.
A few minutes earlier Beaton had witnessed a prolonged shirt pull by Sterling on Sebastian Tounekti. Many pundits including Keith Hackett felt that a penalty should have been awarded.
With nine matches left it is all to play for in the SPFL Premiership. Ten points separate the top four clubs who will all face each other at least once.
Celtic won earlier in the season against Motherwell with Brendan Rodgers in charge. In December Motherwell were worthy winners at Fir Park during Wilfried Nancy’s brief time in charge.
Two games between the clubs over the coming week will go a long way towards deciding Celtic’s title prospects.
Adding intrigue to the situation is the speculation that ‘Well boss Jens Berthel Askou could be Celtic manager next season.
After two days rest the Celtic squad return to Lennoxtown on Wednesday with only one midweek fixture before the season ends.
Joe that’s where Celtic is lacking leadership…. Nicholson, Wilson and board should be all over this and telling SFA we don’t want these scabby Huns taking charge of our games especially with with title race so tight, if boot was on other foot them dirty Hun tramps would be bitching to their pals in mainstream media and shouting from orange hall to Scottish fa
Exactly, 32, and Lawwell before them. A ref who had a fans’ bus named after him (or at least it was waved on a Butcher’s Apron) “The John Beaton Crown Bar Loyal” and he’ll do everything he can to stop Celtic, the old ‘abc’ shit. True justice dictates we lift the title but we’ll see. If McGlynn’s Falkirk win the cup, good luck to them. They play decent fitba and should’ve beaten us a few weeks ago when we really got out of jail. That prick English, having another go at us, said at the time “a very ordinary Falkirk” which just proved the fat prick hadn’t even seen the game he was ‘commenting’ on!
A Sevco man caught drinking in a Sevco boozer who allegedly takes his son to see ‘Motherwell’
Surname Surname Crawford Allen was bad enough but Collum is just trolling us in a far worse manner than any of them…
Tea biscuits and nice beers from Lucan on Saturday after the damage is done then…
From one scumbag to another scumbag then !