Celtic Needs a New Leader NOW: Time for Alistair Beaton's Departure!

Emmanuel Longelo receives a red card from John Beaton after a VAR review. Photo Kenny Ramsay IMAGO To overcome the Steelmen after being a goal down in a pressure filled game is a testament to the Celtic players’ mental strength as well as their ability. However it wasn’t just the men in claret and amber that the Bhoys had to overcome, it was the man with the whistle who had a huge say in proceedings.

That man was the match referee John Beaton. Beaton who is tellingly dubbed ‘cheatin’ Beaton’ by the Celtic supporters, has for quite some time been responsible for some very questionable decisions that have gone against Celtic throughout his time as a referee. This is not a tin foil hat scenario, as some will suggest, this is the real deal, and furthermore the evidence is widely available.

Fabio Silva dives inside the Celtic penalty area and cons a penalty from referee John Beaton. Photo Stuart Wallace/Shutterstock Beaton is a well known life-long supporter of the Rangers clubs, that’s common knowledge. So why on earth is he or any other official who has a well known affection towards the Ibrox side -our rivals for the title – allowed to officiate in any of our or the blue half of Glasgow’s games for that matter?

It happens in Scotland and only in Scotland. I’ve asked before, where are the referees from Aberdeen, Dundee, Inverness etc and why are there so many from Lanarkshire? That’s an argument for another time, but for now it’s all about Beaton, and yesterday he yet again appeared to allow his feelings for his favourite club to play a part in almost denying Celtic a vital win in the title race.