Wayne Rooney apology to Neil Dewsnip over Jay Stansfield goal celebration

Stansfield, the former Exeter City striker, showed off a t-shirt with the slogan Once a Red Always a Red after scoring for Birmingham City in a 3-3 draw with Plymouth Argyle

Wayne Rooney issued an immediate apology to Neil Dewsnip after Jay Stansfield's opening goal celebration in Birmingham City's 3-3 draw with Plymouth Argyle caused uproar at Home Park.

Stansfield, the 21-year-old former Exeter City striker, gave Blues an early lead and reacted by running behind the goal at the Devonport End and lifted his top over his head and revealed a T-shirt with the words Once a Red Always a Red on it. Argyle fans were furious as Stansfield and his team-mates celebrated in front of them and it led to him receiving a yellow card from referee Graham Scott before play restarted.

Dewsnip, who coached Rooney when he was a young academy player at Everton, was unaware of what words were on Stansfield's t-shirt when he was asked about the incident in his post-match Press conference after taking charge of Argyle for the first time.

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He said: "I didn't realise that. What I would say, though, is - and this is the quality of Wayne Rooney as a person - you might have seen he came straight up to me and he said 'Neil, I apologise, I know about the Exeter-Plymouth thing, I will speak to him in the dressing room'.

"Now maybe that was why he took off him later on. I don't know, you would have to ask to Wayne, but well done Wayne Rooney."

A number of objects were thrown onto the pitch towards Stansfield and his team-mates from furious Argyle fans in the Devonport End. Whether that will lead to any disciplinary action being taken against Argyle as a club remains to be seen, but Stansfield's actions were clearly provocative and the reaction of the supporters was not good either.

Dewsnip said: "Both are not great, I would say. I know one instigates the other. I would have to see it, I have not seen the incident really."

Rooney was also asked about the way Stansfield had celebrated his goal. "I didn't know what was on the shirt," said the Birmingham boss.

"It's something I have done myself as a player and emotions are really high and you never know what a player is feeling from that point of view.

"I spoke to Jay, and I said this to Neil as well, I don't think it helped us in getting involved with the crowd as well. Sometimes you are better focusing on your job on the pitch, but ultimately he's a young player still learning his trade in the game.

"This game was really emotional for him and his family, and he has reacted after his goal the way he did, and the referee probably rightly so gave him a yellow card."

Rooney added: "I will speak to Jay on it. When you get involved with fans you never know what the reaction is going to be. As I said, he's a young player, I have been there myself, I have made mistakes myself like that on the pitch. It's something which I'm sure he will learn from."

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