Celtic manager Gordon Strachan has claimed the moral high ground following the spat at Pittodrie last Sunday which leaves him threatened with a 10-match ban.

The former Saints boss was dismissed by referee Charlie Richmond after an argument with a Dons official following Kenny Miller's 85th-minute goal that put the visitors 2-1 ahead.

Celtic coach Tommy Burns revealed afterwards that Strachan had been defending his assistant Garry Pendrey following accusations he had made a rude gesture to the home fans behind the dug-out.

However, the man who led Saints to the 2003 FA Cup final faces a potential six-match touchline ban, on top of a possible four-match suspension for a dismissal during Celtic's match against Hearts in April.

But in a carefully delivered speech, Strachan said: "Let's get things cleared up because television was talking about me arguing with fans. I will put it right.

"One. No Aberdeen fans abused me.

"Two. Did I abuse an Aberdeen fan? If I didn't get abused then I'm not going to abuse anybody.

"Three. My argument is a moral argument. It has nothing to do with football, coaches, players or results.

"It is a moral argument and really, football people should not have been involved in it.

"It's a moral stance. People throughout the world take moral stances every day and you have to take them. The moral argument will never change.

"I will repeat again. I didn't get abused by Aberdeen fans and I didn't abuse anybody.

"I can't go any further because I do not have the report back from the SFA or anyone else involved so as it stands at the moment, that's what I can give you.

"But you can forget about me abusing or arguing with fans".

Strachan, who has intermittently criticised Britain's 'yob culture' highlighted the problems he encounters during games.

He said: "At Falkirk the other week the police were asked to speak to me about smiling at the crowd.

"Someone reported me for smiling in his direction. Obviously it's not the best smile in the world.

"I can see a lot better smiles but I never knew my smile could be offensive but there you go. That's the world we live in just now."

Celtic midfielder Aiden McGeady backed his boss and claims fans are hypocritical when it comes to dishing out abuse at players and managers.

He said: "It would be extreme if he did get banned for a number of games. From what I've been told it was a misunderstanding.

"It's the same for players. When you are running down the pitch trying to get the ball you are getting all sorts of abuse.

"Most of the things you hear are unacceptable but you just take it in and a lot of the time I just laugh. You can't react.

"If you said the same back I'm sure there would be a lot more said about it.

"But it's part and parcel of football, that's what happens and I think that's what happened last Sunday.

"As soon as someone says something back everyone is in an uproar so there is hypocrisy there.

"But I don't think you will see the end of people shouting at managers and players, it's always going to be there".