Beaton opens up on fall-out from Old Firm
JOHN Beaton has admitted the fallout to the Rangers v Celtic game that he refereed at Ibrox in 2018 took a heavy toll on him personally in an interview to mark Mental Health Awareness Week.
Beaton was savaged in the media after failing to punish Rangers striker Alfredo Morelos for a stamp on Anthony Ralston, a clash with Ryan Christie and a kick at Scott Brown in a Ladbrokes Premiership game that Celtic lost 1-0.
The Parkhead club issued a statement in the wake of the defeat that demanded the match official explain his decisions and he required a police escort to his next game after being subjected to death threats.
Elsewhere, his mobile phone details were leaked online and three men were later convicted after admitting sending him abusive messages.
In an interview about mental health on the SFA website, Beaton confessed the controversy over his display had been difficult for him to cope with.
“It was a tough time for me and had a massive impact,” he said. “It was probably a turning point in terms of seeing the scrutiny that we are put under in games like that.
“The pressure on those games is incredible and it’s such a unique rivalry. It’s about survival for the referees, players and managers. You have to manage your way through those games as best as possible.
“The feeling immediately after the match was that it had gone well for us a refereeing team. But clearly the media fallout was such that the perception of my performance had very quickly changed.”
Beaton added: “I was due to referee Ayr United v Falkirk at the height of the difficult period and I remember speaking to John Fleming, the head of refereeing at the time, who said I could have the weekend off.
“I said ‘no’ to that offer as I felt it was really important for the younger guys coming through that they saw me fulfilling that appointment. I wasn’t going to lie down to the criticism.
“It was a while before I was back involved with either of the teams, but I took charge of the Aberdeen v Celtic match in April 2019, that saw Celtic clinch the league title. That was a real show of faith from the Scottish FA and a boost for me personally to be appointed to the match and to do well in it.”
Beaton praised the support the SFA give to their referees, but he admitted that being a match official can be a “lonely” existence after making an error in a high-profile match.
“The difficulties arise when the media and social media comes into play,” he said. “I just try and keep myself away from that as much as I can but it’s impossible.
“We’ve all got jobs outside refereeing and when you go into the office on a Monday following a game that could have gone better, it’s tough to deal with and probably the last thing you want to do. Refereeing can be a bit of a lonely place.
“It’s only when you referee the big games, you see the fallout on social media and that’s where it becomes a challenge. All of a sudden, from being able to walk about like everyone else, you’re now someone that people recognise. That can be challenging.
“I think it’s important the younger referees see that we have to deal with the mental health side of things and set an example for them coming through. They can come and speak to the more experienced ones.
“You can get really down about things if you’ve made a mistake on the Saturday and then you’re waiting for Sportscene on the Sunday for people to criticise you. I’ve got better with that though and find ways to cope, usually by getting back on the horse.”