HEARD the one about the football coach sent off while on his mobile phone? Well, quite bizarrely, such a fate befell Rovers’ Railway team boss Paul Ferbrache in Alderney.

Referee Ian Le Prevost had already dismissed Rovers’ Mark Pemberton and assistant coach Andy Mahon when Ferbrache, too, was shown red while answering a call from club colleague John Le Cheminant back in Guernsey.

The incident occurred moments after Le Prevost had sent off Mahon who had abandoned his linesman duties to run onto the pitch and complain about a throw-in decision which had led to Bavaria Nomads’ fourth and decisive goal.

‘I’m on the phone facing the clubhouse and talking to ﾓChemmy” [Le Cheminant] and telling him that the referee was a disgrace when I turned around and he was showing me the red card.

‘It was unbelievable. He’s a control freak.

‘I’m writing a report and I will be giving him nought out of 10. It was a joke,’ added the Rovers coach.

Referee guidelines prevent Le Prevost from commenting on the incident but referees’ officer Graham Skuse said that if Ferbrache abused Le Prevost within his ear-shot the referee was right to show a red card.

‘If he used foul and abusive language towards a referee to another person and in ear-shot of that referee I would support that referee 100%,’ said Skuse.

‘But until such time I see the referee’s report from the game in Alderney I can’t comment.’

Ferbrache said he had no complaints relating to the dismissal of Pemberton for two yellow card offences.