Dundee United midfielder Paul Paton has launched a renewed attack on the panel that banned him for an offence that the alleged victim said he did not commit, suggesting that he may have been victimised for choosing to represent Northern Ireland rather than the country of his birth.

After helping his team to a 2-1 victory over Aberdeen in Saturday's QTS League Cup semi-final at Hampden the Paisley-born 27-year-old could not have been more scathing in pouring contempt on the decision of the men who found him guilty of spitting at Jonny Hayes during Dundee United when the club's last met in December, calling it "an absolute joke."

Paton also seemed to question the competency of the panel which sat in judgement upon him and effectively ignored Hayes' evidence after the Aberdeen player stated categorically on social media that: "Paul Paton never spat on me."

"To get suspended for something that the two teams have never seen, the two managers have never seen, two sets of fans have never seen and everybody watching the video has never seen. For three guys who have never played football to sit there and say I did that, I'll never forgive them for that," said Paton.

His frustration is such that he raised what some are likely to dismiss as a conspiracy theory by connecting the finding by a group operating under Scottish Football Association jurisdiction with his decision, last year, to turn his back on Scotland and represent Northern Ireland for which he qualifies through his Larne-born father.

"I don't know if it's maybe... I chose to play for Northern Ireland. I don't know what the script is, but I'm certainly not happy with that. I think it's an absolute joke to be honest," he said.