McLeish Reveals Gardner's Regret For Sending Off

Birmingham manager Alex McLeish revealed Craig Gardner has apologised for getting himself sent off in the game against Wolves for diving.

Gardner had already got one yellow card under his belt for his reaction to a challenge from Wolves midfielder Jamie O'Hara, which in fairness to the Blues midfielder, wan`t the first time he had received the boot that afternoon.

But the second yellow was shown for an alleged dive after a challenge from Jody Craddock.

McLeish said: 'Craig dived. He already had a booking and that leaves you treading on thin ice.

'But I was thinking he was diving to get out of the way because he had been booted about three or four times just before that.

'A Richard Stearman tackle on him on the edge of the box never got a booking and then O'Hara caught him.

'I think he was diving to get out of the way but we don't condone the diving element, and especially when you are on a yellow card.

'I was more annoyed at the first yellow card Craig got. It put him under pressure by reacting to a tackle.

'You've got to let the referee deal with these things. Stay down.

'Craig is devastated in the dressing room and at half-time he has apologised to his team-mates and we now miss him for a couple of games.'



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