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Hair Pulling in Football- Alfie May sent off.

KingKinsella
KingKinsella Posts: 1,373
in General Charlton

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  • KingKinsella
    KingKinsella Posts: 1,373
    Just seen the highlights of a Huddersfield game. Alfie May gets sent off for hair pulling. It's one of those incidents where I think he was passing behind the man with ball and trying to hinder his progress with hands to the shoulders but (?accidentally) tugging the hair, doing it in a slightly understated way, so it could seen as accidental and with little real force so that the opposition would not have much grounds for complaint. But the opponent did complain- and Alfie walked.

    Hair pulling could be very nasty if done with real strength and aggression, but do the players with massive hair do's bear some responsibility to be on the pitch with hair tied neatly out of the way (sorry I''m no stylist ) eg in the case of  long hair maybe a plait? This Luton player certainly has a lot of it  to spare.
  • KingKinsella
    KingKinsella Posts: 1,373
    KingKinsella said:
    Just seen the highlights of a Huddersfield game. Alfie May gets sent off for hair pulling. It's one of those incidents where I think he was passing behind the man with ball and trying to hinder his progress with hands to the shoulders but (?accidentally) tugging the hair, doing it in a slightly understated way, so it could seen as accidental and with little real force so that the opposition would not have much grounds for complaint. But the opponent did complain- and Alfie walked.

    Hair pulling could be very nasty if done with real strength and aggression, but do the players with massive hair do's bear some responsibility to be on the pitch with hair tied neatly out of the way (sorry I''m no stylist ) eg in the case of  long hair maybe a plait? This Luton player certainly has a lot of it  to spare.
    Huddersfield vs Luton last night, brilliant half way line long distance shot wins it 1-0 
  • golfaddick
    golfaddick Posts: 34,953
    I agree.

    I don't think Alfie meant it last night. He was tussling for the ball & accidentally caught Casey Palmer's hair.

    Totally different to the incident the other week (Everton v Wolves ?) where the defender purposefully pulled on the players hair as he jumped. 
  • MrOneLung
    MrOneLung Posts: 27,256
    Nah, he deliberately reaches out and pulls the hair.

    As soon as he did it, he knew he was walking
  • Steven81
    Steven81 Posts: 1,194
    MrOneLung said:
    Nah, he deliberately reaches out and pulls the hair.

    As soon as he did it, he knew he was walking
    Hair today gone tomorrow 
  • Kinsella87
    Kinsella87 Posts: 553
    Peter Crouch classic 
  • DaveMehmet
    DaveMehmet Posts: 21,857
    I'd like to see him try it with me
  • thenewbie
    thenewbie Posts: 11,198
    While I get the point about intent vs accident (and May probably comes into the latter here) trying to legislate something like that would probably be complicated and open to too much interpretation to be practical so a fixed punishment is the most sensible solution.
  • fenaddick
    fenaddick Posts: 15,251
    thenewbie said:
    While I get the point about intent vs accident (and May probably comes into the latter here) trying to legislate something like that would probably be complicated and open to too much interpretation to be practical so a fixed punishment is the most sensible solution.
    It's why it drives me mad when people like Wilder talk about "intent" around red cards. Intent isn't part of the laws on the most part, you have to be aware enough of your surroundings not to make the mistake that gets you penalised
  • Rothko
    Rothko Posts: 18,969
    As a ref, you are told not to try to work out someone's intent; you can't read their minds, but you can see what someone's action is, and you make decisions based on that. 

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  • Raith_C_Chattonell
    Raith_C_Chattonell Posts: 5,832
    Let's face it Charlton have had us by the short and curlies for years.
  • Gribbo
    Gribbo Posts: 8,793
    Games gone
  • KingKinsella
    KingKinsella Posts: 1,373
    Does it happen in the women's game? I've only seen internationals  TV and can't remember seeing it happen
  • randy andy
    randy andy Posts: 5,469
    edited January 28
    KingKinsella said:
    Does it happen in the women's game? I've only seen internationals  TV and can't remember seeing it happen
    It has definitely happened this season in a televised game in the WPL. Can't remember the teams unfortunately, but was an instant red card, and justifiably so.

    Also famously happened in the Women's Euro 2025 quarter-final. Germany defender Kathrin Hendrich was shown a straight red card for pulling the hair of France's Griedge Mbock
  • CaptainRobbo
    CaptainRobbo Posts: 1,372
    KingKinsella said:
    Does it happen in the women's game? I've only seen internationals  TV and can't remember seeing it happen
    Definitely happens.


  • Lincsaddick
    Lincsaddick Posts: 32,596
    Jack Stephens was sent off for pulling Marc Cucurella's hair last season .. Saints v Chelsea
  • SporadicAddick
    SporadicAddick Posts: 7,121
    It was a nonsense decision. If that’s a sending off then no game finishes. What is different between that and physical wrestling at corners? If they were penalised with red and yellow cards, as they in theory should be, then there are multiple penalties and sendings off in each game. 
  • Powell2ThePeople
    Powell2ThePeople Posts: 427
    SporadicAddick said:
    It was a nonsense decision. If that’s a sending off then no game finishes. What is different between that and physical wrestling at corners? If they were penalised with red and yellow cards, as they in theory should be, then there are multiple penalties and sendings off in each game. 
    As someone who doesn’t think shirt pulling has a place in the game, I politely disagree.  
  • SporadicAddick
    SporadicAddick Posts: 7,121
    Powell2ThePeople said:
    SporadicAddick said:
    It was a nonsense decision. If that’s a sending off then no game finishes. What is different between that and physical wrestling at corners? If they were penalised with red and yellow cards, as they in theory should be, then there are multiple penalties and sendings off in each game. 
    As someone who doesn’t think shirt pulling has a place in the game, I politely disagree.  
    I don’t think shirt pulling has a place in the game either. 
  • AddicksAddict
    AddicksAddict Posts: 16,061
    SporadicAddick said:
    It was a nonsense decision. If that’s a sending off then no game finishes. What is different between that and physical wrestling at corners? If they were penalised with red and yellow cards, as they in theory should be, then there are multiple penalties and sendings off in each game. 
    A foul with the ball dead is a yellow. Wrestling at a corner is a foul.  If the yellows were handed out as they should be, it would stop.

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  • MrOneLung
    MrOneLung Posts: 27,256
    SporadicAddick said:
    It was a nonsense decision. If that’s a sending off then no game finishes. What is different between that and physical wrestling at corners? If they were penalised with red and yellow cards, as they in theory should be, then there are multiple penalties and sendings off in each game. 
    It’s not a nonsense decision. 

    Hair pulling is defined as violent conduct. There is no level of hair pulling, it is automatically violent contact. 
    Violent conduct is red card. 
  • Stu_of_Kunming
    Stu_of_Kunming Posts: 17,209
    SporadicAddick said:
    It was a nonsense decision. If that’s a sending off then no game finishes. What is different between that and physical wrestling at corners? If they were penalised with red and yellow cards, as they in theory should be, then there are multiple penalties and sendings off in each game. 
    Enforce the rules and it would all stop the next week, sadly the ref's just don't have the balls for it.
  • ArmchairAddick
    ArmchairAddick Posts: 529
    Compulsory swimming caps.
  • SporadicAddick
    SporadicAddick Posts: 7,121
    edited January 29
    AddicksAddict said:
    SporadicAddick said:
    It was a nonsense decision. If that’s a sending off then no game finishes. What is different between that and physical wrestling at corners? If they were penalised with red and yellow cards, as they in theory should be, then there are multiple penalties and sendings off in each game. 
    A foul with the ball dead is a yellow. Wrestling at a corner is a foul.  If the yellows were handed out as they should be, it would stop.
    The wrestling can start when the ball is live…
  • guinnessaddick
    guinnessaddick Posts: 29,451
    edited January 30
    Huddersfield’s appeal on the decision to show Alfie May a red card vs Luton Town on Tuesday 27 January 2026 has been dismissed by the FA Regulatory Commission.

    As a result, May will remain unavailable for their next four Sky Bet League One fixtures. He remains eligible for selection in the Vertu Trophy.
  • Garrymanilow
    Garrymanilow Posts: 13,761
    guinnessaddick said:
    Huddersfield’s appeal on the decision to show Alfie May a red card vs Luton Town on Tuesday 27 January 2026 has been dismissed by the FA Regulatory Commission.

    As a result, May will remain unavailable for their next four Sky Bet League One fixtures. He remains eligible for selection in the Vertu Trophy.
    Insult to injury that

  • soapboxsam
    soapboxsam Posts: 23,480
    CaptainRobbo said:
    KingKinsella said:
    Does it happen in the women's game? I've only seen internationals  TV and can't remember seeing it happen
    Definitely happens.



    I watched this match live and it happened in the box and it was so blatant and clear in the Q-Final of the Euros.
    Early in the game and the German defender received a red card and gave away the pen but they still ended up winning on pens against the French.

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