Billy Brown was backed up by manager Jim Jefferies

Brown was raging after Kris Boyd was denied an opening goal in the 1-0 defeat by Celtic after Eric Skora was ruled to have fouled Bobo Balde.

"It was a scandalous refereeing decision," he told BBC Sport. "The goal would have stood at the other end.

"We lost a penalty to them last year. The referee has got to be fairer than that. That has turned the game."

Officials have in the past been accused of giving Celtic and Rangers preferential treatment - but rarely so publicly, with Brown likely to find himself called before the Scottish Football Association.

"It has been going on for 100 years, so it is not going to stop now," he said.

Celtic are worthy champions Kilmarnock boss Jim Jefferies

BBC television pictures suggested that Skora had played the ball before it fell to Boyd, although the referee might have decided that there was a push in Balde's back.

Kilmarnock manager Jim Jefferies was also convinced his side had been wrongly denied a goal that might have delayed Celtic's championship party.

"I have seen it on the monitor and it is going to be a difficult task for the referee to explain why it was not a goal," he said.

"I think Boydy was trying to find Skora. Eric has done well to put the boy under pressure and it looks like he has forced the defender into mis-kicking and Boydy has followed it up. We should have been 1-0 up."

Celtic win Scottish title

But Jefferies conceded that, while his side matched the champions on the day, Martin O'Neill's side had been the undisputed masters of 2003-04.

"Celtic are worthy champions," he said. "They were by far the best team."

Kilmarnock had been beaten by Celtic on the final day of last season, when the Hoops' 4-0 win turned out to be not enough to pip Rangers, who took the title on goal difference with a 6-1 thrashing of Dunfermline.

Jefferies was pleased his side had provided much sterner opposition this time round.

He said: "We knew they would be fired up to win it at the first time of asking and my players were tremendous."