JOHN BEATON cut a glum figure at Parkhead on Saturday when the final whistle sounded to bring down the curtain on Celtic’s deserved 3-2 triumph in the Glasgow derby.
The fourth official remained grim-faced amid the euphoria in the east end of Glasgow as 60,000 joyous fans celebrated the champions’ success that propelled them 12 points ahead with only seven league games left to play.
In sportsmanlike fashion, Ange Postecoglou shook hands with vanquished opposite number Michael Beale before doing likewise with the assistant referee.
GRIM AND BEAR IT…John Beaton looks glum as Ange Postecoglou shakes his hand in the aftermath of Celtic’s 3-2 derby triumph at Parkhead on Saturday.
Beaton couldn’t turn the frown upside down as he accepted the hand offered by the Celtic manager.
CQN, with tongue firmly in cheek, asked: ‘Why so glum, John?’
We decided to look through our pictorial library to see if we could find an image of the match official actually cracking a smile.
Lo and behold, we found one from January 25 last year in which Beaton is beaming brightly. The occasion was the award of a penalty-kick for Hearts against Celtic at Tynecastle.
SMILES BETTER…referee John Beaton explains to Joe Hart why he has just awarded a penalty-kick to Hearts.
THE LAST POST…John Beaton watches as Liam Boyce slams the penalty-kick award against the woodwork.
GOAL OR NO GOAL? Liam Boyce appears to have strayed into an offside position, but his effort for Hearts against Celtic was deemed okay by referee John Beaton.
The Hoops were leading 2-1 with strikes from Reo Hatate and Giorgos Giakoumakis while Liam Boyce had tucked one away from an offside position, as images proved in CQN‘s match summary.
In the 72nd minute, Beaton adjudged Nir Bitton had handled a header from Peter Haring following a right-wing corner-kick. It was a contentious decision and was queried by keeper Joe Hart among other bewildered Celts.
The referee looked happy enough to give an explanation. Justice was done when Boyce slammed his effort against the woodwork and the ball bounced clear.
After seven minutes of stoppage-time, the Hoops had clung on for another three points on their way to a famous title success in Postecoglou’s debut campaign.
We were laughing all the way to our tenth crown in 11 years.
