Neil Critchley criticizes referee John Beaton after Scottish Cup defeat

Hearts manager Neil Critchley strongly criticized referee John Beaton following Hearts' 2-1 Scottish Cup semi-final defeat to Aberdeen, accusing him of a lack of respect and poor decision-making. Critchley was incensed by the red cards issued to defender Michael Steinwender and midfielder Cammy Devlin, insisting both decisions were incorrect and severely impacted the match. He also condemned the dismissal of his assistant, Mike Garrity, after extra time, arguing that neither he nor his staff behaved disrespectfully or used abusive language. Throughout his post-match comments, Critchley emphasized his expectation of mutual respect in difficult situations and suggested Beaton's handling of the game fell short of professional standards. He maintained that Hearts' performance deserved a fairer outcome and that questionable officiating deprived them of the chance to compete for a place in the final. Despite acknowledging the challenges of refereeing, Critchley stated that if he performed his job as poorly as he believed Beaton did, he would not remain in his position.