Shey you Sabi say? Referee Wey Give Himself Red Card

For football, the people wey dey control law for pitch na referees, and no be them bé the most loved characters for the game. History don show plenty kind referees: some sharp, some corrupt, some wey dey make plenty mistakes.

Who fit ever forget that 2002 World Cup wahala between Spain and South Korea? Or that phantom goal for 1966 England final? Or Maradona’s famous “Hand of God”? Football history full of referee mistakes wey don change games.

The Strange Case of Melvin Sylvester

But one referee take wahala enter another level. The man, sabi say him dey referee badly, decide to send himself off! Normally, referee fit show red card to players, coaches, or assistant referees, but never himself. Yet, for March 1998, this actually happen.

Na Charlton, one London suburb, dis drama unfold. Melvin Sylvester, 42-year-old school janitor, dey direct Sunday match between Southampton Arms and Hurstbourne Tarrant British. The match no easy at all: plenty fouls, plenty complaints, and of course, some insults dey throw around from players. Sylvester dey nervous and tense, so him mistakes plenty for the game.

The Punch Wey Shock Everyone

For second half, game tension don dey high. One player push Sylvester from behind. That na the last straw. Sylvester lose patience and start hit the player several times. As e explain later: “It provoked me a lot. I punched him several times after he pushed me from behind. I couldn’t take it anymore.”

Self-Red Card

Realizing wetin e don do, the referee do something wey nobody dey expect. Him grab red card, blow him whistle, and send himself off! After that, he waka go locker room. One of the fans take the whistle and continue the rest of the match.

Sylvester get suspended for six weeks and pay fine, but punishment no really matter. He swear say he no go ever referee again, and till today, e still dey keep that oath.

Legacy & Discussions

Dis incident spark plenty debate for football world. Some people talk say make new rule dey wey one “Instructing Judge” fit dey monitor referee actions during matches. Maybe with VAR now, dis kind rule no too necessary. But for past games, e for don help prevent some of the wahala wey referees dey cause.

This na one of those football moments wey dey remind everybody say sometimes, na the people wey dey enforce the law fit make the craziest mistakes and sometimes, na dem too go feel the wahala.