Bruno Andrade, the ex-Lincoln City hero, received a red card for fighting with a teammate while playing for AFC Rushden and Diamonds in the Northern Premier League Midlands Division.
The incident occurred during Rushden’s match against Loughborough Students.
Altercation Leads to Double Red Card
Twenty minutes into the game against Loughborough Students, Bruno Andrade and fellow striker Tyler Winters had an altercation. It wasn’t their first disagreement, but this time it turned physical. The referee sent both players off, leaving Rushden with nine men.
AFC Rushden & Diamonds tweeted: “20 mins. DOUBLE DIAMONDS RED CARD. I have never seen anything quite like this. A coming together between Bruno and Tyler, not the first of the game, results in the two players being shown straight red cards! It’s an absolute nightmare for Diamonds who now have 9 men and no…”
Rushden ultimately suffered a 3-0 defeat.
Manager’s Disappointment
Rushden boss Elliot Sandy said, “They have had a bit of a disagreement on the pitch and it has culminated in those two coming together. The linesman has said there was a bit of hands and stuff betweem the two of them, and there was obviously two red cards.”
Sandy added, “They have let themselves down, they have let the club down, they have let their team-mates down and it is just so disappointing. It is inexcusable really, I have never had anything like that in football, and we will deal with internally, and to be honest I just want to talk about the rest of the lads who gave absolutely everything.”
The players were described as letting themselves down.
Twitter Reacts
Twitter reaction seems to lay the blame at Andrade’s feet, although there is no video evidence to back that up.
One Twitter user wrote: “Bruno , you just can’t do that! Such a talent but you’ve let everyone down there pal 😞”
Play-off Ambitions Dented
The result leaves Rushden five points adrift of Belper, having played a game more. Their play-off ambitions are hanging by a thread.
Andrade, who once won a League Two title with Lincoln City, had a controversial streak, including an incident where Michael Bostwick pinned him against the dressing room wall after a red card at Swindon. He’s been helping Rushden with a play-off push after they were around the bottom four at the start of the season.
Going into their match against Loughborough Students they were just outside the play-off places, with a real chance of promotion.
Loughborough, in the bottom four and without a win in five, should have been easy prey for Rushden, but an early goal gave the home side the lead.
Andrade’s goals and assists were useful for Lincoln City, and few will forget his thunderbolt against Everton in the League Cup.
He’s never reached the heights his talents suggested he could.
The players’ actions do go to a whole new level.