Aberdeen manager Derek McInnes has hit back at his Kilmarnock counterpart Steve Clarke.
The Killie boss, who was named manager of the month for February yesterday, urged the Scottish FA to take action against McInnes for claiming Jordan Jones had gone down “without any contact” to earn his side a penalty in last week’s 1-1 draw in the quarter-finals of the Scottish Cup.
The sides will meet again in Tuesday’s replay at Rugby Park and McInnes says he was surprised by Clarke’s comments.
He said: “I thought it was all a bit strange and bizarre.
“I looked back at my comments and I didn’t say the boy dived.
“I actually thought the referee was quite within his rights to give the penalty.
“I was defending Shay Logan because Steve had been trying to get him sent off and was in the fourth official’s ear.
“He referred to that when he did the press as well.
“So he wanted Shay in bother, he wanted me in bother – and he still got his penalty kick.
“It’s all a bit bizarre because I thought it had been dealt with and everyone would move on.
“But Steve has brought it into the public domain.
“If I wanted to make an issue of it I would have mentioned that Jordan Jones got booked against us for it a few weeks ago and has been booked for diving against other teams as well.
“I would also have mentioned he was booked for diving last season too, but I didn’t think it was appropriate to do that.
“I have no problem with Jordan, I have high regard for him and actually tried to buy him last summer.
“I have no problem with the penalty being given, I think it was more of a penalty than it wasn’t.”
McInnes takes his Dons side to Firhill this afternoon where they will bid to end a three-game run without a win against second-bottom Partick Thistle.
He added: “Like a lot of teams down there, Partick have had little spells of poor form and other times when they have been better.
“I have no doubt they will get themselves away from trouble.”
Suspended Sam Cosgrove and injured goalkeeper Joe Lewis miss out for the Dons but Andrew Considine returns from a ban.