Celtic look set to be dragged up to the Hampden dock over Tom Boyd’s blistering attack on ref John Beaton.
Scottish FA sources confirmed compliance officer Claire Whyte has opened a probe into comments made by Boyd on the club’s own TV channel during Saturday’s Betfred Cup win over Dunfermline.
The former captain - who is now Celtic ’s official ambassador - put the boot into Beaton after the official failed to award Neil Lennon ’s side a penalty as the holders battled to stay in the competition after being taken into extra time.
As part of the onslaught Boyd claimed Celtic were up against 12 men and implied that Beaton’s decision making is undermined by an inherent bias against the champions.
Whyte will now listen to audio recordings to determine if Celtic have breached rule 38 of the SFA’s judicial panel protocol by broadcasting Boyd’s outburst.
The former centre-back said: “If he doesn’t know that’s a penalty he should not be in the middle of the park refereeing a football game,’ before adding, “He’ll probably be welcomed down his pub the night again.”
Boyd doubled down his attack on Beaton during the extra-time interval when he said: “Old law, new law, no matter what kind of law, that is a penalty.
“How John Beaton hasn’t given that? We’ve seen it before from referees like this. John Beaton not giving us a penalty, absolutely stunning decision Standing alone there, I wonder what his thoughts are.
“I’m mystified … I’m not mystified. John Beaton as though it was a pre-meditated decision not to give that penalty because it was so late in the game, I’m not sure.
“It’s come off his arm. Regardless of players down or whatever, he’s not given a drop ball. So he’s seen it hit the hand of the Dunfermline player and it should be a penalty. Outrageous decision from John Beaton.
“We’ve not played well, but once again a decision from a referee may cost us in this game, hopefully we’ll go on and beat not the 10 men, not the 11 men of Dunfermline, but the 12 men.”
Whyte will now cite Celtic for Boyd’s blast if she is satisfied that former Scotland defender went too far.
The rule states: “A club or recognised football body which publishes, distributes, issues, sells or authorises a third party to publish, distribute, issue or sell a match programme or any other publication or audio/visual material of any description in any media now existing or hereinafter invented, including but not limited to the Internet, social networking or micro-blogging sites, shall ensure that any such publications or audio/visual material does not contain any criticism of any match official calculated to indicate bias or incompetence on the part of such match official or to impinge upon his character.
“There shall be a presumption that any material issued, published, distributed and/or sold in such manner was issued, published, distributed and/ or sold in the name of and/or with the authority of the body bearing to have issued, published, distributed and/or sold the material.”
