John Beaton

{{Infobox football official | name = John Beaton | birth_place = Glasgow, United Kingdom | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=yes|1982|1|9}} | years1 = 2001– | league1 = Scottish Football Association | role1 = Referee | years2 = 2009–2013 | league2 = SFL / SPL | role2 = Referee | years3 = | internationalyears1 = 2012– | confederation1 = FIFA listed | internationalrole1 = Referee }}

'''John Beaton''' (born 9 January 1982) is a Scottish football referee.

==Career== ===Football=== John Beaton became a referee in 2001 and was admitted to the SFA senior list in 2005 before becoming a Category 1 referee in 2009.<ref>{{cite web |title=SFA Profile |url=http://www.scottishfa.co.uk/scottish_football_referees.cfm?page=720&startrow=19&currentPage=4 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121008115203/http://www.scottishfa.co.uk/scottish_football_referees.cfm?page=2064&start=11 |archive-date=8 October 2012 |access-date=6 September 2011}}</ref>

He has refereed at the UEFA U17 Championship Qualifying Tournament in 2009<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.scottishfa.co.uk/scottish_fa_news.cfm?page=714&newsCategoryID=2&newsID=5177 | title=John Beaton and Andy Tait appointed to UEFA | publisher=Scottish Football Association | work=INSIDE FOOTBALL | date=19 October 2009 | access-date=6 September 2011}}</ref> and the Scottish Junior Cup Final.<ref name="Cus">{{cite web | url=http://www.motherwelltimes.co.uk/sport/local-sport/cup_final_honour_for_whistler_john_1_280534 | title=Cup final honour for whistler John | publisher=Motherwell Times | date=8 May 2009 | access-date=6 September 2011}}</ref> He refereed two games at UEFA u19 Elite Round in Serbia in May 2012. His first Europa League match appointment was 5 July 2012 Elsborg v Floriana.

In March 2010, he was stuck overnight, along with the Queen's Park team, in snow gates overnight on the A9 in Scotland after he refereed an Elgin City match.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://sport.stv.tv/football/166962-snow-way-through-for-queens-park-team-and-referee/ | title=Snow way through for Queen's Park team and referee | publisher=Scottish Television | work=sport.stv.tv | date=31 March 2010 | access-date=6 September 2011}}</ref>

Beaton became a FIFA referee in 2012.<ref>FIFA. [https://web.archive.org/web/20070606232736/http://www.fifa.com/associations/association=sco/footballofficials/referees/peoplekind=ref.html "Scotland: Referees"]. Retrieved on 6 June 2013.</ref> He appeared as a fourth official in the 2014 World Cup qualifier between Romania and the Netherlands.<ref>FIFA. [https://web.archive.org/web/20131022020400/http://www.fifa.com/worldcup/preliminaries/europe/matches/round=258374/match=300183558/report.html "Match Report - Romania - Netherlands 1:4 (1:3)"]. 16 October 2012. Retrieved on 6 June 2013.</ref>

In May 2015, Beaton refereed the Riyadh derby between Al Hilal and Al Nassr in the Saudi Professional League, where Salem Al-Dawsari motioned to head-butt him after a decision did not go his way.<ref>{{cite web |title=Referee John Beaton 'headbutted' during Saudi tie |url=https://www.heraldscotland.com/sport/13213389.referee-john-beaton-headbutted-saudi-tie/ |website=heraldscotland.com |publisher=The Herald (Glasgow) |access-date=22 November 2022 |date=11 May 2015}}</ref> Around the same time, Beaton attracted media attention with photos surfacing that appeared to show him drinking alcohol in a Rangers pub after a match.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2019-01-10 |title=Chris Sutton: If online pub pics are valid, John Beaton's guilty of 'sheer stupidity' |url=https://www.glasgowtimes.co.uk/news/17350272.chris-sutton-online-pub-pics-valid-john-beatons-guilty-sheer-stupidity/ |access-date=2025-03-27 |website=Glasgow Times |language=en}}</ref>

In May 2026, Beaton attracted controversy after awarding Celtic a late stoppage-time penalty against Motherwell during the penultimate match of the Scottish Premiership season.<ref>{{cite web |last=Dowden |first=Martin |url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/live/c3627z3828gt |title=Motherwell 2–3 Celtic |publisher=BBC Sport |date=13 May 2026 }}</ref> The decision proved significant in Celtic's title challenge with Hearts, allowing them to remain one point behind heading into the final day of the campaign.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.foxsports.com.au/football/worst-var-decision-ive-ever-seen-coach-fumes-at-disgusting-call-in-99thminute-title-drama/news-story/85224480cb5f7a75f79e50dd103d8e60 |title=‘Worst VAR decision I’ve ever seen’: New angle adds fresh twist to ‘disgusting’ title drama |publisher=FOX Sports |date=15 May 2026 }}</ref> Following the match, Beaton reportedly received threats and was placed under police protection.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/articles/c87qye8yjg2o |title=Referee Beaton under police surveillance, says SFA |publisher=BBC Sport |date=15 May 2026 }}</ref> A 19-year-old man was later arrested after the referee's personal details were allegedly shared online.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.kentonline.co.uk/news/national/man-19-arrested-after-celtic-v-motherwell-referee-s-personal-details-leaked-166753/ |title=Man, 19, arrested after Celtic v Motherwell referee’s personal details leaked |publisher=Kent Online |date=15 May 2026 }}</ref>

===Non football=== Outside of football, Beaton started his career as a journalist before becoming communications officer for Strathclyde Police. He is currently media relations manager at ScotRail Alliance, having previously been a communications officer for the University of Strathclyde.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.strath.ac.uk/comms/staff/johnbeaton/ |title=MR John Beaton Communications Officer |publisher=Strathclyde University |work=www.strath.ac.uk |access-date=6 September 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111110064512/http://www.strath.ac.uk/comms/staff/johnbeaton/ |archive-date=10 November 2011 }}</ref>

==References== {{Reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Beaton, John}} Category:1982 births Category:Living people Category:Scottish football referees Category:Scottish Football League referees Category:Scottish Premier League referees Category:Scottish Professional Football League referees