If you were to judge Scotland by spending any significant amount of time on ‘Scottish Twitter’, you would get the impression of a country on the brink of anarchy.

Apparently, the KGB (Kilted Goon Brigade) will now kick down your door and haul you off to the Glasgow gulag if you so much as think of insulting a fellow citizen. So, bear that in mind when commenting on this article…

Ally McCoist is being hung, drawn and quartered on there for making a (admittedly, ill-judged and glib) quip about it on his radio show. For the avoidance of doubt, I get the contention that anti-Catholic bigotry is nothing to joke about, by the way, but that’s another column.

When you add into the mix that it is Old Firm week, and the build up to arguably the most significant encounter between the Glasgow sides for some time, then it makes for a heady enough mix without anyone else adding fuel to the inferno.

READ MORE: Rodgers has no issue with Beaton refereeing Celtic, but no regrets at blast

Enter Crawford Allan. The Scottish FA’s head of refereeing operations saw that bin fire and decided to pour on the gasoline, appointing John Beaton as the on-field official for Sunday’s match at Ibrox.

At any point in history, the choice of ref for this fixture is greeted with contempt and suspicion by one half of the great divide, and often, both. So, whoever Allan appointed, he couldn’t win. But in the context of the last few weeks, this was quite the call.

Leaving aside the infamous photos of Beaton enjoying a few beers some years ago in a ‘Rangers’ pub that are still being held up on Celtic message boards as evidence of his where his loyalties lie, he was of course the official named (and apparently defamed, in the Scottish FA’s view) by Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers after his performance as VAR official in his side’s defeat at Tynecastle recently.

That landed Rodgers in front of a disciplinary committee and on the end of a two-match suspension (one suspended) for branding Beaton’s interventions that led to the dismissal of his winger Yang Hyun-jun and a penalty being awarded against Tomoki Iwata as ‘incompetent’.

For Beaton to then be appointed as the on-field referee for the most important game of the season just a few short weeks later has been taken as a deliberate provocation by some sections of the Celtic support, and the retiring Allan’s last great ‘get it up ye’ to the team he presumably, and allegedly, doesn’t favour.

Some Celtic fans have pointed to inconsistency here, given that public criticism levied against Willie Collum from Rangers a few seasons ago led to the referee not officiating a game involving the Ibrox side for months.

Allan may argue though that given Rangers had officially requested Collum not officiate any of their matches again this season following his failure as VAR official to ask Nick Walsh to review an Alistair Johnston handball in the last Old Firm fixture - a request that was flatly denied - he is being entirely consistent.

This may be the main reason after all – other than the fact that Beaton is clearly viewed within the Scottish FA as one of their most senior and most skilled officials – that he has been appointed to the match in the first place.

Only Rodgers could tell you what his intentions were when naming Beaton in his post-match critique of the officiating at Tynecastle, and in fairness to him, he has publicly stated that he has no issue with Beaton refereeing Celtic matches.

“It shouldn’t be the case [that referees can't officiate matches for certain teams] and I’m not saying that - I’m talking about one game here,” Rodgers said.

“I’m talking about the game at the weekend. I’m not talking about legacy issues or any other games.

“John’s refereed games that he’s been really good in. So, I don’t have an issue with that.

“I’m talking about that one game and that was my view of that game. It’s not about anything else.

“Let’s focus on the football and on making good decisions.”

It could be interpreted though that Allan is sending a message that no club will be able to influence what referees are chosen to officiate their matches. A noble enough position, on the face of it, but one that has left Beaton in quite the position come Sunday lunchtime, when the intense scrutiny that any referee of an Old Firm fixture would be under will be magnified to a ridiculous degree.

What happens if he awards Rangers a penalty? Well, for many, his biases will have been confirmed. What happens if there is a penalty claim from Rangers that should on balance be given, but isn’t quite of the stonewall variety? Will he shirk it, not wanting to be seen as favouring the hosts, either consciously or sub-consciously?

READ MORE: Rodgers Celtic criticism of Beaton branded 'uncomfortable'

While I agree that clubs can’t be allowed to dictate refereeing appointments, by putting Beaton in charge of this particular Old Firm fixture, Allan is putting his man in an impossible position. The destination of the title could, in theory, rest upon one of his decisions. His mind must be clear, not fogged by what may happen if he doesn’t get it right.

One can only hope that any fallout from the game directed at Beaton will largely take place in that bonkers online world inhabited by the kooks and cranks, as unpleasant as that may be, rather than spilling over into the real world, that is inhabited by real people, like his family.

Allan can’t be held accountable for the lunatic fringe, neither should he bow to them. But in the current context, sparing him the glare of this game and handing the reins to Walsh again, for instance, might have been fairer on Beaton. Never mind any of the teams involved.