Video: Non-league player/manager sent off for tackling streaker
Published 10:40 08/03/11 By MirrorFootball
Dorchester Town player/manager Ashley Vickers was sent off in the non-league club's defeat at Havant & Waterlooville last night - for aggressively tackling a streaker.
Two of his coaching staff then got their marching orders and two Magpies players followed in wild scenes.
Vickers said: “I’m dumbfounded and speechless. A guy ran on to the pitch without any of the stewards getting near him and I thought I was doing them a favour."
Former Sheffield United youth player Vickers, 38, saw red when the pitch invader, dressed in a Borat-style wig and mankini, interrupted proceedings with 70 minutes gone in the Blue Square Bet South encounter.
After watching the streaker cavort around the pitch untouched for 40 seconds, Vickers took matters into his own hands, catching him in a headlock and throwing him to the floor with such force his hairpiece fell off.
The ref showed Vickers a straight red and then sent assistant boss Phil Simkin and assistant kitman Dan Fuge from the dugout for their protests.
Vickers said: “My only thought was to get hold him so we could get on with the game. I managed to grab him and bring him to the ground and the funny thing was the stewards actually thanked me for it.
“But the ref decided to send me off and it beggars belief. Their players told the ref not to send me off and their chairman even offered to take a player off to even things up.
“The ref lost the game after that and he knew he had made a great error by the reaction of Havant’s players and management. In hindsight I perhaps shouldn’t have done it but hindsight is a wonderful thing. I’m sure people will crucify me for this but I have broad shoulders.”
As the game collapsed into farce, Dorchester defenders Jake Smeeton and Kyle Critchell also received straight reds for fouls.
Added Vickers: “It was Jake’s first foul of the night and it was an incredible decision to send him off.
“Then Kyle was sent off for apparently saying something to the linesman. All he did was ask why Jake had been sent off.
“Havant’s manager Shaun Gale said he will help us with a DVD of the game.
“No one in the ground, players and supporters alike, will have seen anything like that before and no one will see anything like it again."
Do you know the unlucky streaker? Call us on 0800 282 591 or email mirrornews@mirror.co.uk
