The Cobblers have asked the Press Association news agency to apologise for incorrectly reporting that Clarke Carlisle’s second booking at Oxford United on Saturday was given for ‘foul and abusive language’.
The Northampton defender was shown a yellow card late in the game after appear to make an innocuous block and, as it was his second, was sent off.
It was one of a number of highly questionable decisions by referee Scott Mathieson during a match that Town lost 2-1, and was reported by PA as being for foul and abusive language, possibly because there was very little visible contact on the tackle.
That piece of information travelled quickly around the national media, with Jeff Stelling commenting on it on Sky Sports’ live matchday afternoon television show, but the player himself was furious once he found out.
Writing on Twitter, Carlisle said: “I don’t know who reported I was sent off for foul and abusive language, but it’s not true. Two yellow cards for tackles, no verbals at all.”
Ironically, the PA feed at matches is staffed by retired players and organised through the Professional Footballers Association, a body for which Carlisle is currently chairman.
Later on Saturday night, the club posted their own statement on Twitter, confirming they had contacted the news agency to seek a correction.
It read: “To clarify, Clarke Carlisle was sent off for 2 bookings, NOT foul and abusive language. The Press Association owe Clarke an apology. We have contacted the Press Association to get the matter corrected.”
As a result of the dismissal, the player will now serve a one-match suspension and because it was for two yellow cards there is no route of appeal.
The club have contacted the Football Association for clarification which match Carlisle will be banned for, as he is cup-tied for the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy (a competition in which the club’s next game takes place) having already played in it for York City.
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