The televised independence debate was a “missed opportunity” for the Yes campaign, according to Alex Salmond’s predecessor as SNP leader.
Dundonian Gordon Wilson said the First Minister should not have taken part in the STV programme, viewed by 1.7 million people, instead leaving his deputy Nicola Sturgeon to go head-to-head with Better Together leader Alistair Darling.
Rumours circulated at Holyrood that some SNP backbenchers were calling for Ms Sturgeon to replace her boss for a BBC showdown on August 25.
“I think it was a missed opportunity,” Mr Wilson said.
“I thought Alex did very well and I thought Darling became very excitable. He was speaking at a rate of knots.
“But I think Alex was wrong in accepting the invitation to begin with. He had very little to gain. He should have put up Nicola Sturgeon and continued to pursue David Cameron.”
Mr Salmond took the step of attending the SNP’s group meeting of MSPs as reports of criticism of his performance circulated.
One party source said the First Minister “only really goes when there’s an issue or to quell the natives”.
That claim was described as “totally inaccurate” by an SNP spokesman, who insisted Mr Salmond attends “regularly”.
SNP MSPs spoken to by The Courier did not claim the First Minister won the debate, instead insisting it was not important and criticising Mr Darling.
Conservative MSP Murdo Fraser tweeted: “Picking up a bit of chat from Nats at Holyrood that Salmond should be replaced by Nicola for next Darling debate.”
An SNP spokesman responded: “Support for Yes increased to 47% during the debate because Alex Salmond connected with the viewing public, and undecided voters handed victory to Alex over Alistair Darling by a margin of three-to-one.
“Murdo is well known for creating mischief in his own party and most of his tweets seem to be poor jokes.”
The debate saw heated clashes over issues such as what the currency of an independent Scotland would be. A snap exit poll by ICM for The Guardian indicated Mr Darling scored a narrow victory by 56% to 44%.
Polling expert Professor John Curtice, from Strathclyde University, said both men had failed to convince undecided voters to back their side.
“The evidence of the ICM poll is that for the most part Yes supporters thought Alex Salmond had won, No supporters, for the most part, thought Alistair Darling won.
“The undecided were fairly evenly divided, with maybe a slight edge for Mr Salmond.
“That suggests, frankly, neither side secured decisive advantage.”
Yes Scotland chief executive Blair Jenkins said the ICM survey showed Mr Salmond had been more successful in wooing undecided voters, pointing to a sample of 22 people which divided by 74% to 26% in favour of the First Minister.
Before the debate started, ICM’s unweighted sample reported 180 Yes voters, 206 No voters and 49 Don’t Knows. After they found 189 Yes voters, 224 No voters and 22 don’t knows.