GLASGOW, SCOTLAND - SEPTEMBER 20: Referee John Beaton walks out of the tunnel before the William Hill Premiership 2026/27 match between Celtic and Glasgow Rangers at Celtic Park on September 20, 2026 in Glasgow, Scotland. (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)
John Beaton excelled himself in the Glasgow Derby with Manny Fernandez the main beneficiary.
The man from the Crown Bar has been delivering his own unique take on the Laws of the Game for over a decade in the top flight of Scottish football.
Albion Rovers were one of the first victims as Beaton allowed Bilel Mohsni to man-handle the Rovers keeper and push a late equliser into the net.
Yesterday Beaton transferred his generosity to Fernandez as he steered him through a desperate opening 20 minutes.
Fortunately for the former Peterbrough starlet he will only be involved with Scottish match officials.
Willie Collum and his chums know what is expected of them.
In a European match Fernandez would have had a penalty awarded against him inside two minutes.
By the 15th he should have been sent off.
Fernandez completed 90 minutes, racked up a clean sheet at the expense of a yellow card.
All of the flaws in his game that were highlighted by Peterborough fans were on show. And basically went unpunished.
Camilo Duran running clean through in 3rd minute – Rangers Emanuel Fernandez kicked his heel & kneed his calf – stonewall red card for Fernandez & free-kick to Celtic outside the box. Cheatin’ Beaton, toast of Crown Bar Rangers SC, waved play on, absurd
— The Global Tablet of Jurisprudence (@gtj1247) September 20, 2026
Should have been sent off btw. But it’s Beaton. pic.twitter.com/IcBPT7lJRk
— Canadian Celtic Bhoy (@cancelticbhoy) September 20, 2026
BEATON DELIVERS
Fernandez was caught on the wrong side of Camilo Duran. First up there was a push at the Celtic striker, when that failed he just threw his body at his opponent in a desperate bid to halt the Colombian striker.
If the offence was outside the penalty box it would be a free-kick and red card. Inside and it would be yellow and a penalty.
With Beaton in charge it was a case of ‘play on, nothing to see here’.
In the fourth minute, perhaps realising what he had done earlier Beaton booked Fernandez for a different foul on Duran.
Come the 15th minute Beaton threw Fernandez another life-line.
Again caught out of position he body-checked Ben Nygren just outside the penalty box.
Beaton saw it clearly, he knew the consequences of awarding a free-kick. It was a yellow card for any other player.
Again Beaton played to type with his ‘play on, nothing to see here’ routine.
In the absolute certain knowledge that there wouldn’t be even a whimper of complaint from the Celtic CEO.
Clutching at straws wi that one methinks, if that was other way round we would all be livid if it was given.
Fans of all clubs are too caught up in the blame the ref culture for every defeat.
No idea when this kicked in but it’s defo a thing, folks trawling over slo mo replays looking for reasons to slate the officials.
Its long since became very boring and predictable.
Maybe it helps gloss over the hurt of a defeat to think it’s someone’s fault, but we really all should concentrate on the fact we are shit right now and just not good enough to put teams away instead of a ref we hate comfort blanket.
It’s not a good look and more for the paranoia of them than us.
I fear we are gonna end up with Maloney for the rest of the season, as IMHO that has always been the plan anyway and MON was just the front, Sean’s been in charge as far as I’m concerned, as someone already alluded, it’s like watching his Hibs all over again.
We need these suits gone.
The only thing that will pressure them to go is……..EMPTY SEATS.
The question is…do us Celtic fans have the minerals to stay away or are we basically all just shitebags who think not buying a Bovril or socks keeps DD & MN awake at night?
Never ever thought I would say this but watching and listening to all the pre game excitement and then a full house against that mob, there to celebrate beating a team we all profess to be deed n buried, giz me the boak.
There’s a massive majority of our fanbase validate them week in week out as the deed club, as the OF, and wet their pants at the thought of stuffing them, and the very same fans will then tell all their Sevco pals yer clubs deed.
As a fan of 60yrs or more I’ve never been more disillusioned, we get all giddy about meeting and beating the deed club but then after its over its Sevco again.
Then we wonder why we canny get together and get the suits out when we are as split on that?
For me it’s plain and obvious, they are Sevco, nothing more nothing less and its time we all bought into that.
Its 3 weeks till our next game…..plenty of time to organise a NAG campaign…..but I doubt the appetite exists for that…….and the suits know this.
Don’t think we would’ve beaten their ten anyway !