Thomson handed Old Firm derby task

Experienced referee Craig Thomson will take charge of the first Old Firm game of the season this Sunday when Rangers host Celtic at Ibrox.

The fixture is nothing new to the whistler, who handled his first contest between the sides back in May 2007 and was the man in the middle in three of the seven Old Firm meetings last season.

Thomson was in charge of league games at Ibrox and Parkhead that Celtic won 2-0 and 3-0 respectively, and the Co-operative Insurance Cup final which Rangers won 2-1 after extra time. The game kicks off at 12.30pm and is being shown live on Sky Sports.

lDunfermline manager Jim McIntyre will sit out Saturday’s meeting with Hibs after accepting a one-match ban for being sent to the stand at the weekend.

The Pars manager was ordered from the technical area after throwing a water bottle down in frustration during his side’s 3-2 defeat to Kilmarnock.

Under last season’s rules, he would have earned an automatic four-game suspension because of a previous ban picked up in December.

However, with the slate wiped clean on the introduction of new rules during the close-season, McIntyre has escaped with a lighter sentence.