Michael Beale questions Scottish Football Association’s appeals process

The Dons captain was sent off late in last Friday’s victory over Ross County in Dingwall following a strong challenge on defender Jack Baldwin, the decision coming following a VAR intervention.

Shinnie, on loan from Wigan, faced an automatic two-match ban and an extra one-game suspension because he had been sent off for the first time in his career in his previous game against St Johnstone.

However, the 31-year-old midfielder emerged from the SFA appeals process with a four-game ban after the independent panel decided the club had either been “frivolous” with their appeal or submitted it with no likelihood of winning.

PFA Scotland called for changes to the process and ahead of the trip to Pittodrie on Sunday, where Rangers will have the benefit of Shinnie’s absence in the final cinch Premiership fixture before the split, Beale gave his thoughts on the issue.

“I have not seen the challenge but what I would say is I don’t like this idea that if you ask a question then you get more,” said the Gers manager, who revealed midfielder Ryan Jack will be out for “three or four weeks” with an unspecified injury and thus miss next week’s Scottish Cup semi-final against Celtic at Hampden Park.

“The ban is the ban.

“I don’t think you should be penalised more for asking the question. That seems a little bit harsh to me.

“I wouldn’t want that for one of my players.

“Graeme is a committed player. He plays in the middle of midfield and has to make tackles and go for challenges.

“As I say, I haven’t seen it, but either way, if you appeal, you are asking a question, and you shouldn’t get penalised more.

“It is like we don’t want people to appeal. We have to look at that.”

The Light Blues are 12 points behind champions-elect Celtic and with little chance of winning the title, the semi-final against Ange Postecoglou’s side takes on added importance as Rangers look to retain the trophy while preventing their Old Firm rivals from having the chance of capturing a domestic treble.

Scott Wright returns to the squad for the Aberdeen game but Ridvan Yilmaz, Antonio Colak and Connor Goldson remain out with the latter two set to return against Celtic.

Midfielder Alex Lowry has also been added to the injured list while Kemar Roofe (hip), Tom Lawrence (heel), Steven Davis (knee) and Filip Helander (foot) remain absent.

Beale said: “We will play the strongest team that is available this weekend for this game.

“There are seven/eight days between games. In general we have momentum and I want to continue with that.”

Beale has been away recently meeting potential new signings face-to-face and revealed he is closing in on their first summer signings.

He said: “There are one or two things we are not far away from sealing. So I am really happy.”

Asked about Burnley’s reported interest in Kent, who is out of contract at the end of the season, Beale said: “I don’t know anything about that. There will be a lot of rumours because he is out of contract and is a good player.”