Liam Rosenior says referee Scott Duncan was swayed into giving a penalty for Aston Villa against Bristol City on Saturday.
Villa were awarded a controversial spot kick 10 minutes into the second half after Robins defender Jack Hunt was adjudged to have brought down Conor Hourihane.
It was a decision that did not go down well with the Robins, and, speaking to Sky Sports, former City man Rosenior said the decision did not seem to be a correct one.
"It seems soft," said Rosenior. "The only way I can defend the referee a touch is the position Jack Hunt's in because it's not ball side. I think it's quite theatrical and soft.
“But when you make a challenge and you're not the side of the ball that you can attack, you give the referee a decision to make.
"And when you are playing the way Aston Villa are, (at a) vocal ground, it's always a difficult place to go for the away team and sometimes referees are swayed by that."
