SFA Confirms Official Lineup for Celtic’s Crucial Midweek Battle at Pittodrie
GLASGOW — As the Scottish Premiership title race enters a vital midweek stretch, the SFA has officially announced the officiating team tasked with overseeing Celtic’s high-stakes trip to face Aberdeen on Wednesday night.
Interim manager Martin O’Neill arrives at Pittodrie seeking a third consecutive victory. After stabilizing the squad with a European win over FC Utrecht and a domestic triumph against Falkirk, the legendary Irishman is beginning to find his rhythm back in the Parkhead dugout. However, standing in his way is an Aberdeen side currently in a state of flux, still searching for a permanent managerial successor to Jimmy Thelin.
The Men in Charge: Robertson Takes the Whistle
The SFA has appointed Don Robertson as the man in the middle for the midweek clash. Robertson, a seasoned 39-year-old official, is a familiar figure to both sets of supporters and has been at the center of several high-profile Celtic fixtures throughout the 2025/26 campaign.
Supporting Robertson on the touchlines will be assistant referees Daniel McFarland and Colin Drummond. Meanwhile, the technological side of the game will be managed from Clydesdale House, where Grant Irvine has been named the Lead VAR official, with Gary Hilland serving as his assistant (AVAR).
Don Robertson: A Familiar Record for the Hoops
Wednesday will mark the sixth time this season that Robertson has taken charge of a Celtic match as the primary referee. His history with the club this term reflects a mixed bag of results:
- Flag Day (August): Officiated the 1-0 win over St Mirren.
- The Glasgow Derby: Was the man in the middle for the 0-0 stalemate against Rangers at Ibrox.
- The Hibernian Draw: Oversaw another goalless deadlock in September.
- Kilmarnock Routing: Presided over Celtic’s dominant 4-0 victory in November.
- Hearts Heartbreak: Most recently, he officiated the 2-1 loss to Hearts—a result that marked the beginning of the end for former manager Wilfried Nancy.
For the home side, this will be Robertson’s fourth time officiating an Aberdeen fixture this season, having previously overseen their encounters with Dundee, Hibs, and Livingston.
[Table: Wednesday’s Officiating Team]
| Role | Official |
| Referee | Don Robertson |
| Assistant Referee 1 | Daniel McFarland |
| Assistant Referee 2 | Colin Drummond |
| VAR Official | Grant Irvine |
| Assistant VAR | Gary Hilland |
The Pittodrie Pressure Cooker
With just three days of recovery following their 2-0 win over Falkirk, Celtic’s trip “up north” is viewed as a significant test of the squad’s depth. O’Neill will be hoping for a clinical performance to keep pace with league leaders Hearts, while avoiding any of the controversial refereeing headlines that have peppered the Scottish top flight this season.
Robertson’s ability to manage the game will be under the microscope, particularly given the vocal nature of the Pittodrie crowd and the high stakes for a Celtic side that cannot afford another slip-up like the one witnessed against Hearts earlier this winter.