Aberdeen have described a four-game ban for Dons captain Graeme Shinnie as “ridiculously harsh” and urged the Scottish FA to urgently review their appeal.
Shinnie will miss his side’s match against Rangers this weekend after the Dons lost their appeal over his red card at Ross County.
A blistering statement from the Dons criticised the decision and called for a new panel to review the incident.
Shinnie was dismissed in stoppage time for a foul on County defender Jack Baldwin in his side’s 1-0 victory in Dingwall.
Dons boss Barry Robson believed the challenge did not warrant a red card and the club backed the manager and midfielder Shinnie by appealing the skipper’s dismissal on Monday.
However, the SFA’s judicial panel protocol upheld the red card for serious foul play meaning Shinnie will miss Sunday’s Premiership match against the Light Blues at Pittodrie.
The Dons captain was making his return from the first red card of his career in the 1-0 win at St Johnstone on April 1 when he was sent off.
As a result of the appeal being dismissed Shinnie will also sit out the first three games after the split as an additional game is added to his three-match ban after receiving his second red card of the season.
An additional one-match suspension has been added after the appeal was deemed unlikely to win.
‘Grossly unfair and entirely untrue’
The Dons statement read: “In the cold light of day, we very carefully considered the decision to appeal Graeme Shinnie’s red card at last Friday’s game against Ross County.
“We eventually decided to appeal in the belief that it had merit and a chance of success after watching the footage numerous times, listening to the various professional pundits on the matter and discussing it with the player and the manager.
“In setting out our appeal, we also reviewed similar tackles in the Scottish Premiership in the last six months where at least two players, who have unintentionally caught an opponent in the follow through of a tackle and were red-carded after VAR reviews, have had their ban overturned on appeal and their suspensions quashed.
“Each appeal is heard on its own merits, which means that no prior case/appeal decisions are considered.
“The legal system for hundreds of years has used and relied upon prior cases as evidence. We believe that the omission of these key prior appeal findings will continue to affect consistency of decision-making.
“Scottish FA rules prohibit us from commenting publicly on such decisions, but having been accused of presenting a frivolous appeal our supporters need to know that this is not only insulting to the club but grossly unfair and entirely untrue. To add a further match ban seems ridiculously harsh and unnecessary.
“We are publicly asking the Scottish FA to urgently review our appeal with a new panel.”
🔴RED CARD!
Graeme Shinnie is sent off for Aberdeen after a VAR check. Correct call?🔽 pic.twitter.com/9A1DphuLGG
— Sky Sports Scotland (@ScotlandSky) April 14, 2023
Referee Euan Anderson brandished the red card to Shinnie, who was making his 200th appearance for the Dons, following a VAR review at the pitch side monitor at Victoria Park.
Speaking after the win, his side’s sixth in a row, Robson said: “It wasn’t a red card for me. I have seen it back.
“I want my players to tackle. I want my players to be aggressive. He slid in, won the ball and it bounced off him and his leg actually started to pull back after it.
“Graeme is disappointed as he doesn’t think it is a sending off. He is an honest boy. I will always ask him to be committed like that.
“Every one of my players, I will always ask to be committed like that.”
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