The official was involved in Celtic's controversial clash with Dundee United last week.

Falkirk boss John Hughes is currently serving a six-game touchline and went down to give his side a half-time team talk as usual during Saturday's clash, but was told by the referee he would be reported to SPL bosses for visiting the dressing room while on a touchline ban.

This hard-line approach of Brines looks like backfiring after Falkirk's managing director George Craig reportedly took the rulebook from Brines and found the rule that clearly stated Hughes was definitely allowed to speak to his players during the interval.

Hughes is now reportedly claiming that there is a vendetta against him from the majority of SPL officials.

A source close to Hughes reportedly told the Sunday Mail: "Why did Brines go to the bother of getting his rule book out if he wasn't simply looking for a way of 'getting' John? He is allowed into the dressing room.

"It is outrageous. Yogi had a word with a linesman on the way into the dressing room because he wasn't too happy with a clear handball at Celtic's first goal but it was nothing.

"If Brines knew the rule he wouldn't have made the mistake."