Dundee manager John Brown has warned he will walk away from football if he is punished for his criticism of referee Alan Muir after his club’s relegation.
Brown described Muir’s decision to award Aberdeen a penalty in their crucial encounter on Sunday a “disgrace” and argued it had sent his team down.
Niall McGinn netted the equaliser to consign Dundee to the drop after Muir had pointed to the spot when Peter Pawlett fell theatrically as he ran past Lewis Toshney.
Aberdeen manager Derek McInnes defended Pawlett, who has previously been banned for diving, and insisted there was contact, but Brown claims he would substitute any player who won a penalty in such a way for his team.
Brown, who recently signed a two-year contract, said: “I’d take him off right away. And if I feel as though the SFA would punish me for any outburst about any referee then I’d walk away from football.
“It’s our livelihoods. It’s the players’ livelihoods. Players are going to lose their jobs, staff around Dens Park are possibly going to lose their jobs.
“It was a high-profile game, a massive game. Surely they could change the officials and get the top officials?”
Brown added: “I have never seen as blatant a dive in a long time. The referee is 20 yards away, the assistant referee is just behind that. Surely he can see that?
“Dundee had an opportunity to take this down to another weekend and it was taken out of our hands by a diabolical decision. I’m still very bitter about it.
“Maybe the guy’s OK, a decent referee, but he made a massive mistake.”