Referee's Chief Keith Hackett has admitted that newly qualified ref Gary Sutton was wrong to order Reds skipper Paul Reid off the field to sort out his captains armband.
Burnley grabbed their equaliser in the 4-2 defeat whilst Reid was gesturing to come back on.
Hackett told the Sheffield Star:
"My colleagues were at the game and Gary Sutton, a young just qualified referee, has been given some operational advice. First of all the Football League regulations say that the captain has to wear an armband. It therefore comes under the heading of equipment.
"What should have happened was the referee should have waited for a break in play and the armband could have been taped then rather than asking the captain to leave the field."
I'm sure that will hardly be scant consolation for Ritchie and the players...