Referee appointed for Hibs v Hearts New Year's Edinburgh derby

Don Robertson has been appointed as the referee for the upcoming Edinburgh derby at Easter Road.

Paul McGinn is shown a red card by referee Don Robertson during the whistler's last match involving Hibs. Picture: SNS

The whistler will be assisted on January 3, 2022, by Graeme Stuart and Calum Spence, while the fourth official is Kevin Clancy.

Robertson last refereed a derby on Boxing Day 2019 when Martin Boyle’s double gave the visitors a 2-0 victory at Tynecastle Park.

Hearts’ only cinch Premiership encounter with Robertson this season came in the 1-1 draw with Rangers at Ibrox, where head coach Robbie Neilson was sent to the stand for dissent directed toward the official shortly before the visitors rescued a point through Craig Halkett.

He most recently took charge of Hibs’ 1-0 defeat to Livingston, a match which saw both Paul McGinn and Paul Hanlon sent off for two yellow cards and a hotly contested penalty which Boyle blasted over the crossbar. The defeat would prove to be Jack Ross’ final game in charge before he was relieved of his duties by the Hibs hierarchy.

The match is likely to be the first derby for incoming Hibs boss Shaun Maloney, who is due to take over the reigns from caretaker David Gray after this Sunday’s Premier Sports Cup final meeting with Celtic at Hampden Park.

Neilson will be looking for his first derby victory as manager at the home of his club’s greatest rivals. He’s yet to beat them in a league fixture away from home as Hearts boss, but did mastermind a 2-1 after-extra-time victory in the 2019/20 Scottish Cup semi-finals last year.

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