Former Walsall striker Darren Byfield sent off towards end of caretaker spell
Former Villa and Walsall striker Darren Byfield insisted he remains ‘a nice guy’ after being sent off during his sudden taste of Football League management.
Byfield, whose most recent management experience had come during a second spell at Walsall Wood in 2021, was thrust into the Crawley Town hotseat last week following the dismissal of Matthew Etherington. He completed his interim two-match spell in charge with a 2-2 draw against Newport County in League Two, with the Exiles coming from 2-0 down to level in stoppage time.
And that was not the end of the drama as both Byfield and Exiles boss Graham Coughlan were sent off for remonstrating with the officials deep into time added on.
Byfield said: “I’m a nice guy but when it comes to football, I’m just so passionate. Their manager wanted to come and have a word with me, and it is what it is. There’s no hard feelings. We spoke afterwards and we’re fine. It’s football, it’s a passionate game and I just love it.”
The 46-year-old started his playing career at Villa and also scored Walsall’s winner in the 2001 Second Division play-off final during the first of two spells at the club.
He had six months at AFC Telford United in 2012 – the 15th of 17 clubs he played for during his career, before going into non-league management with Redditch, Stratford, Walsall Wood and Alvechurch.
