Rooney sent off as Plymouth score late winner

Plymouth Argyle head coach Wayne Rooney was sent off during his side’s Championship match against Blackburn Rovers.

The former Manchester United and England forward was dismissed eight times during his illustrious playing career and has now been red-carded as a coach, too.

Rooney, who took over the club for the 2024-25 season, was sent off after kicking a bottle into the crowd as his frustration boiled over following Blackburn’s equalising goal.

However, his players handled the setback well and responded to the fallout by scoring a 97th-minute winner through Morgan Whittaker.

Rooney was not allowed to talk to the media postmatch due to his sending off but his assistant Pete Shuttleworth stepped in.

“He’s still passionate — we all watched him play for many years and we all know that passion is what drives him and he’s been brilliant down here,” Shuttleworth said.

“I’ve seen him like that – he has still got that passion on the touchline. He likes to be calm and calculated at times and see the game, and that’s his management style. You’re never going to take that [passion] out of Wayne.

“We were disappointed a foul wasn’t given on Ryan Hardie – and Wayne reacted to that with passion. I don’t know what the exact sending-off was for or what they will accredit it to but he just reacted in that way.”

Argyle have now won three home games in a row to leave them 14th in the Championship table.