Soccer player tackles streaker … and gets a red card for it? (Video)

No soccer, you misunderstood. I said that you should start giving out red cards for diving, not for tackling a naked field intruder. Poor Ashley Vickers. The Dorchester Town (British non-league) player/manager thought the was doing a public service by tackling a Borat impersonator who had invaded the pitch during a match with Havant & Waterlooville. What did he get for his trouble? A red card. Vickers:

“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.”

As you’ll see in the video below, stadium security was having trouble catching the man, who was adorned with nothing more than an electric green Borat mankini. So Vickers, a former Sheffield United youth player, grabbed the prancing imp and bodyslammed him. That caused the referee, for reasons unknown, to hit Vickers with a red card.

Vickers argued, and eventually was sent off, along with two Dorchester coaches. The opposing team’s players even pleaded Vickers’ case, to no avail. The Havant coach offered to hold out one of his own players to make up for Vickers’ dismissal. The ref continued to take abuse through the rest of the game, with Havant winning 3-1. Vickers:

“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.”

***
Non-league player/manager sent off for tackling streaker [Daily Mirror]