‘I disagreed with Collum, shook his hand and left’

Rangers’ game at home to Motherwell tomorrow but Gerrard maintained he did not want to make the matter about individual officials.

Candeias was sent off after blowing kisses and exchanging words with St Mirren keeper Craig Samson after the second goal. Anton Ferdinand then put his arm around Candeias and bumped his chin with a clenched fist.

Rangers’ claimed mistaken identity in their appeal and after it was dismissed produced a statement in which they said a formal complaint would be lodged with the Scottish FA that concluded: “This is by no means the first timeerrorsofjudgementhave been made in matches involving this official and clearly there is an underlying issue which requires to be addressed.”

But Gerrard said: “They are not my words. I don’t want to speak about any individual referee. There was a situation at Celtic we have spoken about being unhappy about. There is a situation at St Mirren we are not happy about. Do we think he’s a good referee? Yes. Is it my responsibility to support referees in this country? Yes it is. But I am human as well and I have to give my opinion if we feel hard done by. I have to let the powers that be decide the outcome .

“I don’t knock on a referee’s door unless I think I’ve got a valid conversation to have. I went to see him after the game. We had a normal conversation. He gave his explanation and I told him I disagreed with it. We shook hands and I left.

“He said he [Candeias] provoked someone. I can’t see it. I saw him having a normal conversation with the goalkeeper, there was no problem there. I seen Anton Ferdinand putting his hands round his neck and jabbing him on the chin. I’m not sure Daniel Candeias provoked anyone. Daniel hasn’t done anything to deserve a second yellow.

“Should common sense prevail? Yes. Will it? I doubt it.

“I have to adapt to [the disciplinary system]. It is what it is, it’s life up here. Can it improve? Yes.”