SOUTHEND United manager Phil Brown hit out at fourth official Gaving Muge after being sent to the stands in the closing stages of his side’s dramatic 3-2 win at Oxford United this afternoon.
Brown was dismissed from the dug-out in the aftermath of Barry Corr’s late winning goal at the Kassam Stadium and ended up watching the closing stages alongside well know Blues fan and actor Terry Alderton.
But slammed Muge as ‘embarrassing’ for making the decision after claiming the Blues boss had made an offensive gesture towards the Oxford fans behind the dug-out.
“For the fourth official to get involved like he did was an absolute embarrassment,” said Brown.
“He said I made some kind of signal to the Oxford supporters who had been abusing me but I would stand with my hand on a bible in a court of law and insist I have not abused anybody.
“If I’m going to get fined for that then fine me but the fourth official is bang out of order for what he did.”
Muge’s decision led to referee Christopher Sarginson ordering Brown from the dug out.
But it also led to the Shrimpers chief having to then sit with the same supporters who had been giving him stick throughout the entertaining encounter.
“There was no facility for a manager to go so I had to just sit in with the supporters who were abusing me which is just crazy,” said Brown.
“That’s not safe but then I got rescued by a Southend fan who is in EastEnders.
"I was sitting in the box with him and was jumping around like a lunatic. “
But Brown added he had not been surprised by Muge’s intervention and claimed the fourth official had been on his back throughout the match.
“He was after me the whole game because I was six inches, a yard or half a yard over a white line in front of me,” said Brown.
“He needs to take a good, hard long look at himself if I’m honest.”
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