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Referee Amy Rayner, whose performances at Edgar Street in recent seasons had come in for much criticism, has been blasted by Luton manager Mike Newell.
Newell, who saw his side fail to win a penalty in their 3-2 defeat to QPR, rounded on women in football generally: "She shouldn't be here. I know that sounds sexist but I am sexist. This is Championship football. This is not park football, so what are women doing here? It is tokenism - for the politically-correct idiots.
"We have a problem in this country with political correctness and bringing women into the game is not the way to improve refereeing and officialdom. It is absolutely beyond belief. When do we reach a stage when all officials are women because then we are in trouble? It is bad enough with the incapable referees and linesmen we have but if you start bringing in women, you have big problems."
Rayner took charge of a Conference game at Edgar Street in April 2005, after several outings as an assistant, and failed to give the Bulls a clear cut penalty in that game though the criticism of her performance was down mainly to her ability rather than her gender. Newell is expected to be charged by the FA for his comments.