The rage against the SFA continues this week as John Beaton’s VAR Celtic calls rumble on after Hyunjun Yang’s red card appeal gets rejected by the governing body.
The controversial official has had a major bearing on the Tynecastle result and it has led to major questions being asked about Beaton’s well-publicised Rangers leanings.
Daily Mail journalist, Ian Ladyman, claimed that suggestions of Beaton being a Rangers fan are ‘unproven‘. Clearly, he doesn’t keep his finger on the pulse of what’s going on in Scotland or he would know the background of the referee.
However, for clarity, here are reasons why the Celtic fans should be dubious about Beaton’s football allegiances as A Celtic State of Mind‘s Lawrence Connolly points out brilliantly.
Connolly said, “It goes way back to Albion Rovers at the time at Ibrox at the time in the cup. Moshni just bundles the keeper into the net.
“Bodychecks him into the net and Beaton gives the goal. He’s got a long track record of highly controversial decisions that favour Rangers.
“And it’s rumoured that he’s a Rangers fan and he thinks is appropriate to drink in Rangers pubs after giving decisions in favour of Rangers.
“They even have a supporters club named after him such is his leanings towards them.
“There’s a number of strange decisions that seem to appear for his preferred team. And for the authorities to say there is nothing strange there, well there is.
“The sheer number of them just seems to be inexplicable.
“He either appears to be completely incompetent or some people, not me, consider him a cheat. Some people have christened him ‘Cheatin Beaton’, but certainly not me.” (A Celtic State of Mind)
John Beaton’s Celtic stats
As a referee, Beaton has taken charge of 53 games involving Celtic. Out of those we have won 40, drawn 10 and lost three.
Beaton has also issued three red cards and awarded 15 penalties. The red cards where Joe Hart against Livingston this season, Callum McGregor against Motherwell at Celtic Park last season and Dedryk Boyata in the 2018 League Cup quarter final against St Johnstone.
However, against Rangers, Beaton has officiated 47 times with the Ibrox club winning 33, drawing seven amd losing seven.
He has also awarded them 13 penalties and issued one red card way back in 2017 in the 3-2 defeat to HIbs at Ibrox. That’s it. One red card in eleven years. [Transfermarkt]
Look, either Beaton is incompetent or there is something more sinister going on in our game. I’ll let my readers decide which is the most plausible answer.
But as far as Beaton goes, he should never be allowed anywhere near another Celtic, or Rangers game for that matter, as he clearly courts far too much controversy with his decisions.
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