Rangers face Beaton double-edged sword as Celtic showdown referee confirmed.

John Beaton has been appointed as the referee for Sunday’s Old Firm meeting between Rangers and Celtic at Parkhead.

Derek McInnes’ Rangers head into the fixture aiming to make it consecutive victories over their city rivals, something they have not achieved since March 2025.

The stakes are particularly significant for the visitors, with Celtic currently five points ahead of Rangers in the Premiership. A victory for McInnes’ side would therefore provide a major boost in the title race.

Rangers will also have to deal with the unusual atmosphere of an Old Firm match without an away support inside Celtic Park. With that in mind, any potential advantage will be welcomed by the Ibrox side.

Beaton’s appointment provides an interesting one.

The experienced official has overseen numerous matches involving both clubs, and the respective records offer contrasting talking points ahead of the latest derby.

Rangers’ record under John Beaton

Beaton began his refereeing career in 2001 before progressing to the SFA senior list four years later. He became a FIFA-listed official in 2012 and has since established himself as one of the most experienced referees in Scottish football.

The Glasgow-born official has taken charge of 59 Rangers matches, according to Transfermarkt.

Rangers have won 38 of those games, drawn 10 and suffered 11 defeats.

Their recent record is particularly notable. The Ibrox club have lost only once in their last eight matches with Beaton as referee, with that defeat coming against Hearts in May.

Another statistic could also interest Rangers supporters. Beaton has issued only one red card to a Rangers player throughout his career, despite showing the club’s players 103 yellow cards.

That record could provide some encouragement to McInnes as he prepares his players for another high-pressure derby.

Celtic’s record provides the other side

Celtic’s record with Beaton is considerably stronger overall.

The referee has been in charge of 66 Celtic matches, during which the Hoops have recorded 50 victories, 12 draws and only four defeats.

However, their recent results under Beaton are less dominant than those figures suggest.

Two of Celtic’s last five games with him in charge have failed to produce victories. The most recent was their 2-2 draw against Rangers in March, while Dundee United also defeated Celtic 2-1 in December last year.

That means the historical numbers heavily favour Celtic, but their more recent record gives Rangers something to point to ahead of Sunday’s encounter.

Ultimately, Beaton’s appointment presents contrasting statistics for both sides. Rangers can take encouragement from their recent results with the experienced referee, while Celtic’s outstanding overall record under him remains a significant part of the picture.

With the Premiership gap standing at five points and both clubs carrying plenty of history into another Old Firm meeting, Beaton’s role will be one of the many intriguing subplots when the teams meet at Parkhead.