Likely suspect- who will referee the May 10 Glasgow Derby?

The SFA and SPFL are painting themselves in with every issue around the May 10 Glasgow Derby.

First it was the fixture announcements that upset Ally McCoist.

Then Celtic’s decision not to admit the Union Bears left Barry Ferguson pure raging.

Next up is the not so small matter of the match officials. Not just the referee but also who will be on VAR.

Of course none of them are good enough for FIFA to take them on a World Cup jolly.

They do retain the faith of Willie Collum who provides his former colleagues with a very lucrative second income.

Refereeing the Glasgow Derby is the big target for all officials. If you are from Glasgow or Lanarkshire you have afar better chance of being involved in that fixture than those from Dundee, Aberdeen, Perth or Edinburgh.

Collum set the lowest benchmark for the fixture in 2010 when he awarded Rangers a penalty with his back to play. He knows the system, what is required. That decision provided him with 13 years refereeing the top fixtures in Scottish football.

ELIMINATION PROCESS FOR THE GLASGOW DERBY

An ‘elite’ group of referees are on the rota for the Glasgow Derby.

Don Robertson was the last one to join. He was scheduled as the fourth official for the 2023 Scottish Cup semi-final but Collum got a sore tummy with Robertson dropped in at the deep end.

Ironically his decision not to award Celtic a free kick on the edge of the box was seized on by Daizen Maeda who quickly crossed for Jota to head the only goal of the game. James Tavernier was disappointed by his marking at the goal.

Robertson refereed the first Derby of the season at Ibrox and also the recent Scottish Cup tie.

A third Derby fixture in the same season would be highly unlikely.

Similarly John Beaton will referee Monday’s match at Tynecastle, back to back fixtures involving the same club are also unlikely. David Dickinson is yet to referee the fixture that his family craves to see him involved in.

Nick Walsh here denying Celtic a clear penalty against Rangers.

pic.twitter.com/ZoTptlyVtl

— Lint (@Zeshankenzo) November 4, 2025

Nick Walsh refereed the November League Cup semi-final and looks certain to be in charge on May 10. Walsh will be fourth official at Dundee v St Mirren on Sunday which should keep him out of the spotlight in the lead up to the Derby match.

Walsh has been refereeing the Derby fixture since 2021 and knows what is expected of him.

The other current referees on the Derby rota are Steven McLean and Kevin Clancy.

McLean refereed the January fixture which turned out to be Wilfried Nancy’s Celtic farewell.

Clancy refereed three Celtic defeats in Derby matches until April 2023. His decision to disallow a ‘goal’ from Alfredo Morelos upset Micky Beale so much that statements and letters were issued. Clancy hasn’t been trusted with the fixture since then.