WILLIE COLLUM will be the referee for Celtic’s derby encounter with Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s Ibrox side at Parkhead on January 2.
Nick Walsh will be fourth official while David McGeachie and Daniel McFarlane have been handed the assistants’ roles for the High Noon kick-off on the Sunday afternoon, the last game before the winter break.
Collum was the man in the middle when the Hoops romped to a 6-0 win over St Mirren in the east end of Glasgow in August, but he had to be substituted in the second game concerning Ange Postecoglou’s men against Motherwell at Fir Park in October.
The Lanarkshire whistler limped off in the 28th minute with a leg injury with the visitors 1-0 ahead through a superb finish from flying winger Filipe Jota.
He was replaced by Chris Fordyce as Postecoglou’s men secured all three points with a stunning finish from ex-Well midfielder David Turnbull in the second-half.
The last time Collum officiated in a derby confrontation was in March at Parkhead when a goal from Mohamed Elyounoussi gave the home side the lead before the visitors levelled before the interval through Alfredo Morelos.
The Hoops have three Premiership matches – against St Mirren, St Johnstone and Hibs – to play before the first game of the New Year.
The first outing after the 20-day break is at Alloa on January 20 in the Scottish Cup.
