John Brown charged by SFA for ref comments

DUNDEE manager John Brown has been issued with a notice of complaint by the SFA for ­comments he allegedly made in a media interview.

Dundee manager John Brown faces an SFA charge. Picture: SNS

The Dens Park boss has been offered a one-match suspension after being charged with “making comments in a media interview that criticise a decision and the performance of the match officials in such a way as to indicate incompetence”.

Brown was unhappy with decisions made by referee Alan Muir during Sunday’s 1-1 draw against Aberdeen, with the result confirming his side’s relegation from the SPL. Dundee needed a win to keep alive their slim hopes of avoiding the drop but were held to a draw when Peter Pawlett went down in the box to win a penalty, which was converted by Niall McGinn.

Brown accused Pawlett of ­diving and after the game said: “You expect officials to do their job and it makes a mockery of it. It is a shocking decision for the penalty kick. That decision has taken us down and it’s a disgrace. It is the worst thing I have ever seen. He can’t get it right.”

Earlier this week, Brown suggested he would quit football altogether if hit with sanctions for his comments. “I’d walk away from football,” he claimed.

Yesterday, Aberdeen accepted Pawlett’s two-game ban for diving, and suggested the player wouldn’t get a fair hearing. “The trial by TV and subsequent coverage in sections of the media had almost sealed Peter’s fate and as a result it was felt an appeal would have been fruitless,” said a Dons spokesman.