‘Never a red card’ – Graham Alexander was left furious at the decision which he says “swayed” Bradford’s FA Cup defeat to Morecambe.
Jordan Slew netted the only goal of the match just eight minutes before the final whistle to seal Morecambe’s place in the third round of the competition, resulting in a narrow victory over a depleted Bantams side.
The goal came shortly after Neill Byrne was shown a straight red card, for what has been described to be a tussle with Jordan Slew.
“Their manager’s basically standing on my toes in my box, yet I get booked?”
Graham Alexander offers his reaction to the red card for Neill Byrne, as Bradford City exit the #FACup Cup following a 1-0 defeat at Morecambe.
Listen 👉 https://t.co/jxbiusMnWC#BCAFC | #BBCFootball pic.twitter.com/JMIiz9Bv0V
— BBC Sport West Yorkshire (@BBCWYS) November 30, 2024
“If that happens over the other side of the pitch where there’s no crowd, it’s not a red card in my opinion” 🟥
Graham Alexander fumes at Neill Byrne dismissal that “swayed” FA Cup tie against #bcafc in Morecambe defeat … 🗣️@Bradford_TandA #bantams https://t.co/Rm0jQYMXbx
— Simon Parker (@ParkerTandA) November 30, 2024
Interviewer: Well, Graham Alexander, sadly, defeat for your team today. What’s the overriding emotion from you right now?
GA: Frustration, disappointment. I thought we did enough to win the game. We had plenty of chances to to score.
Interviewer: We looked pretty secure defensively, and, things got much difficult for much more difficult for us when we went down to 10 men. Felt like a big turning point in the game. What is your take on the the decision to send Neill Byrne off?
GA: I can’t talk about that anymore. It cost me a lot of money by being honest. So I’ll do as I’m told. I’m seeing it again. I’m gonna go and speak to the ref. I think I’ve got 18 minutes to wait to go and speak to him about it. And I’ll leave my talking for him there and my questions. But a 100%, it’s affected the game in a massive way because there was only one team I thought that was in the ascendancy that was, creating the the chances to win the game. And it obviously gets more difficult at 10 men, plus it gives them a massive boost and plays into their hands.
Interviewer: Completely understand that answer. And give me the same answer for this next question if you feel the same. Did the reaction of the players and their bench play a part in the decision?
GA: 100%. Yeah. Well, not sure if I’ll get in trouble for that. I don’t know. But, 100%. Their managers come beyond, basically, stand on my toes in in my box. But, yeah, I get booked. I’ll take it. You know what I mean? I’ll take it if that’s the case. So I feel for Neill Byrne. He’s in there. He’s gutted. Asked him for his, for honesty from him to before I’d seen it, you know, because I think it’s important. He told me exactly, what happened. I’ve watched it back. It’s exactly that. And, yeah, that’s what happens.
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“I know the game, I know football. We did enough to win that game today.”
More from Alexander’s post-match, reiterating that recent poor form is down to fine margins.
Also says January solution to lack of clinical edge at the moment isn’t on his mind. #bcafc @BBCWYS pic.twitter.com/0bVsEAubdH
— Jamie Raynor (@JamieRaynor) November 30, 2024
Graham then said, per T&A: “I’ve seen it again and it wasn’t a red card.
“I think there was a loud noise from someone banging the advertising board and then a loud noise from their supporters and their bench.
“Unfortunately, that’s where we’ve been undone today.
“I asked Byrne before I saw it what he had done. He told me honestly and it was exactly that.
“If that happens over the other side of the pitch where there’s no crowd, it’s not a red card in my opinion.
“I understand it’s part of the game and there are reactions but I can’t say any more.
“That’s the way it goes. I get booked, their manager doesn’t – our man gets sent off.
“They’re not running at speed where he’s thrown him over the hoardings.
“They are tussling for a ball on the line and both have got hold of each other. Unfortunately, I think the noise of it caused that – the lad was fine 30 seconds later.”
Alexander added: “We had some brilliant chances, first and second half.
“Cooky’s (Andy Cook’s) header, Jay Benn when he’s gone clean through, Olly (Sanderson) when he’s gone clean through. Then Olly goes through again in the second half and Bobby (Pointon) gets one cleared off the line.
“We certainly created enough to score before the red card but that swayed momentum in their favour.
“I still felt we could win the game at that point but unfortunately they get that finish and it just ran away from us.
“We were trying and still had attacking players on the pitch but I think that moment has turned that game away from our favour.”
This is what fans had to say with Graham Alexander furious at the red card decision which “swayed” Bradford’s FA Cup defeat to Morecambe…
@chellpaul: That’s a poor interview from GA a bit like the letter. Passing the blame and not accepting responsibility
@Up_TheChickens: Blame game once again.. nothing to do with the performance and lack quality in front of goal
@Will_BCAFC_: i get he’s very frustrated with Morecambe’s bench but at the end of the day it’s just excuses isn’t it? we were not the better side and they had more possession and better chances. we had a few chances but we just didnt put them away and that’s partly down to you #bcafc #bantams
@hickeybcafc: I’ve been very patient id sack this guy now. Doesn’t deserve a January football is appalling random team selections and create half chances
@MickWloch: Same old excuses. I wish I had a fiver for every time he said….”we should have won it” he’s very nervous and twitchy, probably knows he has to go soon.
@CarlosS1kRR: Maybe Take the red out the equation by bearing the worse league team in England before a red card becomes an issue .
@SPHscout: Any decent team with a killer instinct out scores dodgy ref decisions and mistakes. We were not good enough
@craigga147: It was yet another piss poor performance even before the red card
@nottmbantam: Back from Morecambe. One that REALLY struck me today – we have absolutely no direction on the pitch. Which is reflective of the club generally. We’re properly in the wilderness here, and drifting to nowhere. Rupp, Sparks, Gent , Sharpe, Alexander can all fuck off. #bcafc
@Guttsy04: Honestly, these fans that are calling for GA’s head need to think before they speak. Where has sacking managers got us over the last 5-6 years? Nowhere… yes we’re having a bad run, but the fans need to stick by him. It’s the people higher up that are the main issue #bcafc
@craigga147: We did enough? Honestly couldn’t disagree any more… we didn’t do anywhere near enough. Worrying assessment. They’re the worst team in the efl
@BcfcBrad1903:
“Did enough to win that game today”
In a game we failed to score in.
Make it make sense. #bcafc
@Bantam0045: Yes, I know it’s the FA Cup, but another game lost to a club at the bottom of the basement league. Serious questions are now coming forward.
@IanLabour: There is no way that I will be renewing my season ticket next year if we don’t go up. I am sick to death of watching mediocre players playing mediocre football. I am losing patience and trust in Alexander to have the correct players playing in correct positions. No Cook: no goal.
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