WILLIE Collum has confirmed Rangers winger Daniel Candeias was controversially sent off against St Mirren for making "gestures" towards Anton Ferdinand.

And it does appear the second booking was given for the Portuguese blowing kisses, which he did stop doing following a talking to by St Mirren goalkeeper Craig Samson.

The Ibrox club were left furious by the official's decision to show the Portuguese a second yellow card following a brief spat with the former West Ham centre-back during their 2-0 win in Paisley on November 3.

Steven Gerrard insisted his player had done nothing wrong and branded the dismissal "embarrassing" Rangers even tried unsuccessfully to have the red card overturned on the grounds of mistaken identity.

SFA chiefs have now revealed the reasons for the failed appeal against the decision - explaining that Collum decided Candeias had to go after spotting the 30-year-old goad his rival.

The flashpoint came seconds from full-time as Rangers celebrated Alfredo Morelos' injury-time goal which sealed a 2-0 victory.

Replays show Candeias - who had already picked up a booking for rushing towards the travelling support after scoring the game's opening goal - running past Ferdinand while blowing kisses at him and seemingly the St Mirren fans.

After his brief conversation with Samson, the Rangers player was then approached by Ferdinand, who placed Candeias in a headlock before aiming a jab at his chin.

Collum immediately flashed yellow at both players - and then a red at Candeias who had not reacted to Ferdinand.

In the written reasoning posted on the SFA website, Hampden chiefs say: "The referee provided a statement confirming the nature of the offence in respect of which the player was cautioned for a second time.

"He confirmed that he issued the caution to the player as at the time he believed that the player had been involved in two incidents, making gestures towards the opponent, the St Mirren No 35, after the scoring of a goal and becoming further involved with the opponent as he made his way upfield after celebrating the goal.

"The tribunal viewed the video footage of the incidents, supplied by the claimant, and carefully considered the claimant's written submission and the written statement of the player.

"Having done so, the tribunal found that the referee correctly identified the player as being the player involved in the incidents with the St Mirren No 35. The video footage showed this.

"The claimant, in their written submission, had accepted that there had been contact between the payer and the St Mirren No 35. The referee cautioned both players.

"Accordingly the tribunal found, on a balance of probabilities, that there had been no error on the part of the referee and no mistaken identity with regard to the players involved in the incidents and specifically in relation to the player for whom the claimant had appealed.

"Therefore the determination of the tribunal was that the claim be dismissed and that the caution and dismissal, and mandatory sanction, be reimposed."

Rangers boss Gerrard gave a stunned reaction as he watched a replay of the incident after the match.

"So Daniel gets a yellow card for that? Come on, lads. Be serious," he asked the gathered media. "The second yellow card is embarrassing. There is your evidence, that's what you're dealing with."

Candeias sat out the 7-1 win over Motherwell on Saturday through suspension while Rangers have also said they will be submitting a formal complaint over Collum's performance at the Simple Digital Arena.

Collum will return to domestic action this weekend for the first time since Rangers made a formal complaint about the official.

The FIFA-listed referee will be the man in the middle for Championship leader’s Ayr United's visit of Alloa at Somerset Park on Saturday.

A groin injury was cited for the 39-year-old’s withdrawal from overseeing last Friday’s clash between Aberdeen and Hibs just a day after the Ibrox club issued a strongly-worded statement regarding Daniel Candeias’s controversial red card in the recent win at St Mirren.