Plymouth Argyle manager Wayne Rooney has been charged by the Football Association following his behavior during a dramatic victory over Blackburn Rovers, which saw him sent off for allegedly insulting the fourth official and subsequently returning to the pitch after his dismissal.
During Saturday’s match, Plymouth held a 1-0 lead until Blackburn equalized in the 86th minute, a decision that infuriated Rooney and his team, who believed the goal should not have counted. The referee, James Linington, issued a red card to Rooney, prompting him to leave the pitch. However, he returned to the field to celebrate a last-minute winner from Morgan Whitaker, leading to a 2-1 victory for Plymouth.
The FA stated that Rooney’s behavior around the 87th minute was considered improper, and he reportedly used abusive or insulting language towards a match official, which resulted in his dismissal. Additionally, his conduct after being sent off was deemed improper, and returning to the field after his expulsion was also viewed as inappropriate.
Rooney has until Tuesday to respond to the charges, but he acknowledged on Monday that he deserved the red card. He expressed his frustration over the officials’ decision and stated, “We worked extremely hard to win the game and to have that taken away by a mistake by the officials I felt was really harsh. I reacted in a manner which I probably shouldn’t have, and the red card was deserved from that point of view.”
Rooney began his tenure as Plymouth’s manager at the start of this season, with the club currently sitting in 14th place in the Championship standings.