Here’s a New Year video nasty: Southampton youngster Matt Paterson lunges at Nemanja Vidić in Sunday’s FA Cup tie against Manchester United.
Even today, having seen replays of the tackle, Saints manager Jan Poortvliet insists that Paterson didn’t deserve a red card. Who’s he kidding?! It was a terrible challenge. Both feet off the ground, studs showing… A potential leg-breaker.
Sticking by your players is one thing, but there comes a point when defending the indefensible just makes you look stupid. Referee Mile Riley was quite right to send the teenager off.
Man United went through to the next round with a 3-0 win.
Reading keeper Adam Federici earned his side a point on Boxing Day with an injury-time equaliser against Cardiff. Sure, we’ve all seen goalies stick the ball in the net before, but watching another one won’t hurt. It’s a feel-good thing. Like a goal from the fat kid who’s always picked last.
Not that the Cardiff fans enjoyed Federici’s strike. With only seconds left on the clock and a 1-1 draw inevitable, there were angry scenes at the Madjeski Stadium. Some of the Welsh supporters spilled onto the pitch and Thames Valley Police arrested four people for public order offences.
Here’s a late entry for the title of 2008’s most stupid sending off. Stoke striker Ricardo Fuller was sent packing for violent conduct… against his own team-mate.
Stoke took an early lead in the Premiership game at Upton Park. Shortly after West Ham equalised in the second half, Fuller walked over to his club captain, Andy Griffin, and slapped him on the face, apparently holding him responsible for conceding the goal.
The late, great John Charles famously struck Juventus team-mate Omar Sívori after he tried to get an opponent sent off. Fuller’s intentions were less noble.
He ruined his team’s chances of securing their first away win of the season. The change in play which followed the sending off was plain for all to see as West Ham besieged the Stoke goal. Two minutes from time, the Hammers made the pressure pay. Diego Tristán scored to give them a 2-1 victory.
Hull City’s high-flying players should have stayed in bed on Boxing Day. Instead they travelled to Manchester for a Premier League match against City and found themselves trailing 4-0 at half-time. Manager Phil Brown decided that a bit of public-performance coaching was the best way to get his side back on track.
With Brown wearing his customary match-day headset, the scene was reminiscent of a motivational meeting in a call centre. Credit where it’s due, though. The on-pitch team talk seemed to sharpen minds. Hull were much-improved during the last 45 minutes, scoring one and conceding one. Of course, that still amounts to a 5-1 thrashing. But as a damage limitation exercise, the finger-wagging public ticking off Brown gave his players worked.