Aberdeen assistant Tony Docherty has slated reports photographs were displayed inside the corridors of Pittodrie to wind up Rangers.
Recent stories claimed the Gers were furious that images from their 1-0 Betfred Cup semi-final defeat to Aberdeen greeted them as they walked to the away dressing room at Pittodrie.
Rangers defender Connor Goldson cranked up Picturegate by confirming those images were used by the Ibrox side as motivation ahead of the match, which they won 4-2.
However, Docherty shot down claims they were put up in the run-up to Wednesday’s game as “absolute nonsense” and insisted they had been there for months.
Aberdeen’s No 2 also confirmed there were photographs of the Betfred Cup final loss to Celtic and other matches displayed in that corridor.
On reports the pictures had been placed in the build-up to the game, he said: “That is absolute nonsense.
“We have done that since day one when Derek (McInnes, manager) and myself came in.
“The history of the club is so important but we keep updating the pictures on a monthly basis.
“It was absolutely nothing to do with us putting up specific pictures for that specific game.
“Whoever came up with that idea is a million miles out.
“That never happened.
“It is not just pictures of the Rangers game in that corridor as there are also pictures from the cup final against Celtic and other games.
“We have never, ever set about putting up specific pictures for specific games. And we won’t do that.”
They say “a picture paints a thousand words”. Rangers’ reaction to photos of a past game shown in a corridor says much about the psyche of that team.
There were also reports Rangers’ raucous post-match celebrations prompted McInnes to complain to the Light Blues management team.
Docherty confirmed the Gers’ celebrations were a “wee bit surprising” and there were words between McInnes and Gerrard.
But he said: “It is much ado about nothing.
“Their celebrations were a wee bit surprising, I have got to say.
“Our manager spoke with their manager and that was it.
“There was no entering dressing rooms or anything like that.
“That will stay between the two managers as it should. There wasn’t a great deal happened there.”
Aberdeen’s Scott McKenna and Rangers’ Alfredo Morelos were both red carded early in the second half. Rangers appealed the red card for the Colombian who has been sent off in all three games he has played against Aberdeen – an appeal which was yesterday rejected.
The Dons opted not to appeal the dismissal for Scotland cap McKenna who is subsequently suspended for tomorrow’s Scottish Cup fifth-round tie with Queen of the South.
“We discussed it as a staff and with the player involved and we thought both red cards were merited,” said Docherty.
“So you are not going to appeal something that you think is a merited red card.
“The opposition (Rangers) can do what they want but we made that decision.”
Docherty also feels the Dons should have been awarded a penalty at 3-2 when Rangers keeper Allan McGregor slid into Lewis Ferguson with his studs showing and connected with his shin. McGregor escaped any punishment from ref Bobby Madden, but has now been offered a two-match ban by the SFA over the incident.
Docherty said: “I thought it was a penalty at the time and I have seen it back and have not changed my opinion.
“Some decisions go for you, some don’t and you move on.
“Hopefully things even themselves out.
“I thought it was a penalty and what happens after that is down to the compliance officer (Clare Whyte) and the appeal process.
“Lewis rode the tackle well and if his leg was planted it could be a serious injury.
“We were the team in ascendancy against Rangers and the big disappointment is that I don’t think we got what we deserved.
“In terms of the play it was all us going forward and we just needed a break in front of goal or a decision going for us.”