‘Bonkers’ red card vs Rangers filleted by two experts as ‘freeze frame’ sparks anger
Kai Fotheringham’s red card in St Johnstone’s 4-0 defeat at Ibrox has set off a proper debate. The Saints were reduced to ten men with 16 minutes left, and the decision looked even harsher given that Rangers were already cruising. Two pundits didn’t hold back in giving their verdicts.
On BBC Sportscene, James McFadden said he felt for the player and described the referee as seemingly “conflicted” over the call. He admitted that the freeze-frame view of the contact looks poor. Fotheringham went to ground, won the ball and then caught Mohamed Raskin above the ankle on the follow-through. Normally, McFadden said, that would be an easy red. But he didn’t think there was much force in it, and that is the crux of the argument.
Steven Thompson backed him up, saying he saw no endangering of an opponent and no malice in the tackle. That is the key point for many people. Football’s laws are meant to punish recklessness and excessive force, not simply any contact that looks ugly when paused at the worst possible moment.
That is the problem with the freeze frame. A still image strips out speed, intent and the way a player’s momentum carries him through a challenge. Pause it at the point of impact and almost any tackle can look like a leg-breaker. Played at full speed, this one looks like a player committing to winning the ball and being slightly late on the follow-through.
Rangers will say they were already in control and the result was never in doubt, and they’re right. But for St Johnstone, the sending off turned a heavy defeat into a sore one. Whether the officials followed the letter of the law or lost sight of its spirit, plenty of people will be asking the same question this week: is this really what a red card is for?
