Referee Sends Himself Off For Being a Bit Much
A Premier League match between West Hamsley and Northwich ended in confusion yesterday when match official Gary Whistlethwaite issued a red card to himself in the 73rd minute.
Witnesses say the incident occurred after Whistlethwaite blew his whistle for a minor foul in the midfield, then paused, shook his head, and reached into his pocket.
"He just looked really disappointed in his own performance," said midfielder Dave Brooks. "He told me, 'Dave, that was a terrible call. I'm ruining the flow of the game. I'm off.'"
Whistlethwaite was seen brandishing the red card at his own reflection in a pitch-side monitor before marching himself down the tunnel.
In the post-match report, the referee wrote: " The official (me) exhibited dissent against the spirit of the game by being overly pedantic. A three-match ban for myself seems fair. I need to go home and think about what I've done."
The match continued with the fourth official taking over, though players admitted they missed Whistlethwaite's brutal honesty.