John Beaton has been selected as the man in the middle for Celtic’s vital clash at Dens Park just a few weeks after taking charge of the Glasgow Derby. That in itself is a bit strange, and not a common occurrence with the Scottish FA who usually use their officials sparingly when it comes to taking charge of the games involving any of the big two.

Especially since both the club and Brendan Rodgers  were critical of the whistler after his incompetent display behind the scenes on VAR duties at the Hearts game at Tynecastle last month. His colleague Don Robertson who was also criticised in that same match also just recently taken charge of our dramatic penalty shoot out win over Aberdeen at Hampden on Saturday.

I’m not saying we can get to pick and choose who takes charge of our games, but ever since John Beaton was called out he’s been tasked with handling two of the most important games in our season, that is not right.

Remember theRangers highly publicised criticism of Willie Collum a few years back? He was excluded from taking charge of any of the Ibrox clubs fixtures for months afterwards. It was the last day of that season before he was given one of their games again and by that time Celtic had already won the title so it was a dead rubber.

Or just a few short months ago when he was demonised once again by the Ibrox club this time for making the correct call in a Glasgow Derby game at Celtic Park. Yet Willie has only taken charge of a game involving theRangers since, a run of the mill cup game against Ayr United. He has not been given a league match of theirs this year.

The powers that be don’t like to be accused of any bias, but with decisions like this they just leave themselves open to it. Crawford Allan has already resigned but is seeing out the season and it looks like he is throwing the kitchen sink at it to make sure that the team he supports and John Beaton supports is given every assistance in their quest for the title.

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