Aston Villa news: ‘Referee can’t ignore it’ as Matty Cash in hot water – Ex-Fifa official
The referee had no choice but to show Matty Cash a yellow card for his celebration after he scored the opening goal as Aston Villa beat Brighton & Hove Albion on Saturday (26 February).
That is the view of ex-Fifa and Premier League referee Keith Hackett, speaking exclusively to Football Insider after Cash took his shirt off to reveal a message of support for his Poland teammate who is stuck in Kiev.
The full-back put Villa ahead after 17 minutes and took his shirt off to reveal his undershirt which had ‘Tomasz Kedziora and family – stay strong bro’ written on it.
Kedziora plays for Dynamo Kyiv and has remained in the Ukrainian capital despite Russia invading the country.
The Athletic reported Cash was not booked for the political message but for simply removing his Aston Villa shirt.
“The laws of the game are quite specific,” Hackett told Football Insider correspondent Connor Whitley.
“The referee has to issue the caution, he cannot ignore it. The law was brought in to stop players from showing their bare bodies off because that is offensive in some countries, believe it or not.
“The major point was political slogans, good, bad or indifferent.
“The law is there, the referee’s got to apply it and the player will take the fine.
“The law is a pretty straightforward line. Don’t do it. If you start putting caveats on it, the referee is going to call you across and say ‘I need to take a photo of that before I report you’.
“The referee takes the stick because he seems like the spoil sport but he’s there to apply the laws.”
In other news, Aston Villa will listen to offers for a key player hailed as ‘brilliant’ by Jamie Carragher.