Crooks Red Card Stands

Rotherham United will be without Matt Crooks for the next three games after the appeal against his red card against Middlesbrough in mid-week has not gone the Millers way.

The Millers were one up at the New York Stadium when Crooks went for a ball, which he clearly had his eyes on, and collided with Grant Hall.

Referee Darren Bond went straight to his pocket and produced a red card. Hall was clearly dazed, but then again who wouldn’t be coming up against Crooks, and had to be substituted and have his head wound seen to. It looked harsh at the time and having seen it back a few times it still looks harsh.

This, of course, is the same Mr Bond who sent off Michael Smith at Hillsborough earlier this year and following week showed a red card to Barnsley’s Alex Mowatt – both cards were rescinded.

Crooks is a solid player but he not what you’d call a dirty player and, like Smith in March, it is his first red card.