Christian League player sent off for warning team-mates about 'dog s***' on the pitch

Lance Perry was shown a straight red car while playing for Rowlands College in the West Midlands Christian Football League

Jack de Menezes
Monday 22 December 2014 16:53 GMT
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A referee issues a red card
A referee issues a red card

Hearing a swear word or two on the football pitch is pretty common these days, but players and fans are starting to feel the wrath of officials as they attempt to clamp down on foul-mouthed outbursts. However, on player will feel hard done by after he was sent-off for warning his team-mates that there was "dog s***" on the pitch.

Lance Perry was shown a straight red card when he was overheard using the slang term during a Christian League match – which takes a zero policy to any swearing.

The match in question was between Perry’s Rowley College team and St Thomas Aldridge in the West Midlands Christian Football League at the weekend. Having warned his team-mate about the mess on the pitch, Perry was stunned when he was given his marching orders.

Speaking after the match, Rowley manager Pete Bennett explained that the decision was unbelievable and that referees can sometimes interpret the rules and regulations "rather crazily".

"The league does have a zero policy to foul language and referees can sometimes interpret that rather crazily," said Bennett.

"We couldn't believe it when the red card came out. He protested as far as he could."

Birmingham County FA have announced that the dismissal has been rescinded and the one-match ban will not be enforced, and disciplinary boss Mike Fellow explained that the context of how the word was used led to the overturning of the decision in that it wasn't a reflection of the referee's performance.

"We have looked at the words used, and the way they were used," said Fellows.

"Obviously if the response had followed a question about how the ref was performing, the red card would have stayed.

"Actually, s*** is in the Oxford English Dictionary. Clearly in this case the word was not used as a term of abuse.

It's not the first time a dog has interfered in a match

"However fully support the stance of the West Midlands Christian Football League in their zero tolerance to foul and abusive language.

"A considerable amount of their teams play in public parks. For users of these park and their families, it's the last thing they would want to hear."

Bennett added that the decision to rescind the red card was the right one and saw common sense prevail.

"Thankfully common sense has prevailed. In fairness, the league has been very good," he added.

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