FC duo's red card puzzle

March 05, 2009

FC UNITED manager Karl Marginson has reacted with bemusement to the red cards shown to him and star player Jerome Wright in the stormy finish to last week’s draw with Buxton.

Wright was sent off for a second yellow card after tangling with an opponent – who also received a booking - and Marginson was dismissed to the stands after protesting to the referee and linesman over the incident.

“The referee didn’t see what happened,” said Marginson. “The other lad sat on Jerome’s head and was punching him in the face. I was watching it clearly, and thought the linesman must have seen the same thing.

“Lo and behold, he gave Jerome a yellow card. I asked the linesman why, and he said Jerome pushed the other lad in the chest – how he could do that when he was sitting on his head, I don’t know.

“The referee told me to get back in the box, but I then pointed out to the linesman what he had missed. The referee came over and did what he did.

“I went in to see the referee afterwards and he told me I was sent off for calling him an expletive – which I didn’t do.”

Wright, who will now miss next week’s home game with Frickley, but is free to play on Sunday at Matlock Town, was also stunned: “It was a joke. me and the other lad had a tackle and he landed on top of me. Then he sat on my head with his hand in my face.

“I pushed him off me and then it all went off and the next thing, I was walking. The referee told me it was a linesman’s decision.

“He said I was dragging the opponent down to the floor, but I don’t know whay I would be dragging down someone who was sitting on my head!”