Premiership clubs set for referee summit with Scottish FA

Hampden chief executive Ian Maxwell will host the get-together at McDiarmid Park in Perth, while referees representatives and SFA compliance officer Clare Whyte will also be on hand to answer questions from top-flight bosses.

Press Association Sport understands that the meeting was scheduled early last month and has not been called in response to December's controversial showdown between Rangers and Celtic at Ibrox.

Referee John Beaton was forced to call in police over threatening messages he received after his contact details were leaked on line in the wake of that explosive clash.

Celtic called for the official to explain why he took no action against Light Blues frontman Alfredo Morelos despite the Colombian's involvement in three flashpoints with Hoops players during Rangers' 1-0 win.

Several managers - including Steven Gerrard, Brendan Rodgers, Steve Clarke and Craig Levein - have taken aim at refereeing performances and the SFA's disciplinary process this season and Maxwell hopes this evening's meeting will allow both sides to gain a better understanding of how decisions are reached.

Speaking earlier this month, Hearts boss Levein - who was handed a one-match ban after branding referee Bobby Madden's performance during their December defeat to Rangers "abysmal'' - welcomed the chance to talk.

He told the Edinburgh Evening News: "There are a couple of meetings coming up shortly so I want to see what happens.

"I'm not supposed to talk about it. There's an attempt to have a meeting to talk about things, which I think is a good thing. I don't know when it is but that's a positive thing for me.

"There has to be something better. The stuff that's going on with John Beaton is a nonsense. It's not just about one thing. I hope it's not. I hope it's about concerns on both sides.'