Swindon Town striker Harry McKirdy is facing an FA charge of improper conduct after he went into the match officials’ room at the County Ground and smashed a bottle of protein drink, which spilled over the referee’s suit.

McKirdy was furious after being sent off by referee Andy Woolmer just before half-time for a second bookable offence in Swindon’s 0-0 draw with Salford earlier this month.

His first yellow card was for dissent, the second for a foul near the halfway line. McKirdy was further aggrieved because he felt he should have been given a penalty 20 minutes earlier.

Sky Sports News has been told that, after going down the tunnel, he first went into the kit room and threw a number of items to vent his frustration.

McKirdy then saw the referee’s changing room door open, and – thinking it was half-time – went in to confront the referee.

But he found the room empty, and so threw a protein drink against the wall which burst, and went over the official’s change of clothes.

The 25-year-old served a one-match ban for the sending-off, but he is likely to face a much stiffer punishment from the FA for what happened afterwards.

Since his suspension, McKirdy has scored in each of his last two Swindon matches, and his form has attracted transfer interest from clubs in the Championship, League One and the Scottish Premiership.

The FA has charged McKirdy with a breach of Rule E3 – using aggressive and/or improper behaviour, in an incident which was outside the jurisdiction of the match officials. An independent commission will be called to hear the case, with written evidence provided from all sides. No date has yet been set for the hearing.

Swindon have stressed to Sky Sports News that they have co-operated fully with the FA investigation, as well as launching their own internal inquiry, with plans to amend their procedures, depending on the FA’s findings.