Shithouse of the Week: Grimsby Town’s Stefan Payne sent off for head-butting team-mate Filipe Morais

Ollie Irish

11th, April 2021

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Grimsby boss Paul Hurst has intimated Stefan Payne may not play for Town again this season after the forward was sent off for head-butting his own team-mate Filipe Morais during Saturday’s 1-0 defeat at Bradford City.

Head-butting an opponent is a classic shithouse move, but doing it to a team-mate is something else.

After Anthony O’Connor had put Bradford ahead, Payne and Morais were seen arguing as they headed towards the tunnel at the end of the first half. Payne then leaned in to butt Morais.

Referee James Bell saw the incident and showed the red card to Payne, though he had to follow him towards the changing room in order to brandish it.

“It is something you just cannot defend,” Hurst said. “The two players have let the club down, the pair of them. They have let their team-mates down and the fans down. As far as the game is concerned they made it more difficult than it needed to be. I didn’t see it because I was making my way down the tunnel, but clearly it merited more than being a little spat.

“Now I have to concentrate on what to do next for the good of the team. The club will be taking action. That will remain private but it won’t swept under the carpet. [Payne] will get a three-match ban for being sent off, but I have got some thinking to do before I decide whether he plays again for the club before the end of the season.”

The loss ended Grimsby’s eight-match unbeaten run and left them rooted to the bottom of League Two.

Incidentally, Stefan Payne’s list of clubs (2009-, including loan spells) is quite the read:

Sutton United, Fulham, Gillingham, Braintree Town, Aldershot Town, Sutton United, Macclesfield Town, Ebbsfleet United, AFC Hornchurch, Dover Athletic, Barnsley, Shrewsbury Town, Bristol Rovers, Tranmere Rovers, Grimsby Town.

That’s more than one club a season. The lad gets about and he doesn’t tend to leave fans with the best of memories.

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1 Comment

  1. Straight Dave says:

    I think Son Heung-min has certainly put forward a good case for becoming the new ‘Shithouse of the week’. Git.

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