Dean Windass is furiously protesting his innocence over his sending-off after the final whistle at Luton.

Windass was given a second booking in an amazing exchange with referee Joe Ross as the players left the pitch.

City have launched a fast-track appeal to the Football Association against the red card after Windass claimed the London-based official was taunting him about the final score.

Windass said: "He came up to me and Steve Schumacher saying '4-0,

4-0, sort your defence out'.

"I thought that was a complete joke and said he was taking the Mickey.

"But then he showed me a yellow and then a red card and told the manager I'd sworn at him.

"It's my word against his but I never did that. But the referee thinks he is bigger than the game.

"All through the match he was so arrogant and you couldn't speak to him. David Wetherall tried to at the end and he was having none of it.

"You've got to hold your hands up about the result because we didn't perform from start to finish. But you shouldn't have people like that taking the Michael out of you."

Todd, who has also been reported for remarks made to Ross in the officials' dressing room after the game, confirmed he will be lodging a complaint against the referee.

"I've never experienced anything like that before," he said. "The referee was inciting Dean Windass.

"It's not sour grapes because the game had finished. But I can't accept someone in his position acting like that.

"He has got to conduct himself in a professional manner and I have got to make a point of it."

If the appeal fails, as seems likely, Windass will miss Saturday's home game with Colchester. Schumacher is out as well after receiving his fifth yellow card.

Ross admitted he had stuck four fingers up, which in hindsight he shouldn't have done but said: "If you can't have banter with the players there is a problem."