Beaton to ref Celtic league opener
- adamhigginsuk
- Aug 5, 2014
- 2 min read
Taking charge: Beaton, from Motherwell, will be the referee for St Johnstone against Celtic in the second round of fixtures (Picture from Zimbio.com)
CELTIC'S opening match of the 2014-15 Scottish Premiership season against St Johnstone will be refereed by John Beaton.
The 32-year-old will be the man in the middle as the Hoops begin their title defence at McDiarmid Park on Wednesday, 13 August.
He will be assisted by Alasdair Ross and Dougie Potter while George Salmond - who was also the fourth official for Celtic's league opener against Ross County last term - assumes electronic board duties.
After their first scheduled match against Partick Thistle was postponed, it will be new Celtic boss Ronny Deila's first league game in charge.
Category One official Beaton is due to oversee his fourth appointment of the new campaign in Perthshire after already handling the Scottish League Cup tie between Montrose and Falkirk and Rangers against Hibernian in the Petrofac Training Cup at Ibrox.
He is also set to officiate Raith Rovers' Championship opener against Dumbarton at Stark's Park on Saturday.
The North Lanarkshire whistler has risen up the pecking order since receiving his first SPL match between Dundee United and Dunfermline in March 2012 and became a Fifa referee in the same year.
Beaton - who is also a communications officer at the University of Strathclyde - took charge of 35 matches in all competitions last season, handing out 119 yellows and eight red cards.
He was in control of three Celtic games in 2013-14 - against Kilmarnock, St Mirren and Ross County, all in the Scottish Premiership.
His five St Johnstone matches included three league outings against Inverness, Motherwell and Dundee United, their League Cup tie at Hamilton and Scottish Cup victory away to Forfar.
The Saints, who lifted the Scottish Cup last term for the first time in their history, drew 3-3 at home to Celtic back in May when the sides last met.
The 19:45 BST kick-off will be screened live on Sky Sports 1 and HD1.
Last updated: 5 August 2014 14:14pm
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