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Wales Online
Sport
Tom Coleman

Russell Martin defends actions and reveals what happened amid red card chaos

Swansea City boss Russell Martin has defended his role in the mass touchline fracas that marred his side's defeat to Luton Town on Saturday.

Martin was given his marching orders in the final few minutes of fiercely-contested clash at Kenilworth Road, which the hosts won courtesy of Carlton Morris's first-half strike.

However, the Swans boss insists Dean Whitestone's decision to send off him, and Luton assistant Richie Kyle, was an overreaction.

Read more: Swansea City defeat at Luton ends in chaos as Russell Martin sent off and escorted from pitch

Then again, he freely admitted to pushing Kyle during the brawl, which punctuated another disappointing afternoon for his team.

When asked for his account, he said: "Rob jumped on the pitch. I really like Rob, he's an ex-team-mate of mine and then Richie got involved and I just pushed him away really to get him out of the way.

"It ends up with what it ends up in, which is two red cards. I'm not convinced it was necessary really, but it is what it is, really.

"I don't know why Rob was unhappy. I think Walshy [Liam Walsh] and one of their players was having a little off-the-ball scuffle. I actually don't know because the game was near their goal."

Martin also shot down suggestions that the incident encapsulated the pressure placed on the Swans boss, who's now overseen just three wins in 19 league outings.

"I spoke to all the owners in the last two days and they've been great and they understand the context. So if you're talking about pressure, it's only the same pressure as everyone else. The pressure to be your best. The pressure to try and get the most out of your players.

"That wasn't pressure. That was care for the team, and that was feeding off the players' energy. It just didn't need to be two red cards to be honest.

"It happens every week I think on the touchline. It just happened today at Luton where the touchlines are incredibly close to the pitch and incredibly close together.

Martin then revealed what he said to the referee, well aware that he would have to walk to the opposite side of the pitch to go down the tunnel.

He and Kyle were eventually escorted away by stewards.

"I said to the referee. 'You're going to send us both off. We're going to have to walk across the pitch. It's going to make your life harder for the next four minutes'.

"It really doesn't need to happen. But it's happened."

Edwards similarly played down the seriousness of the incident, adding: "I probably started it all off. I felt there was a hand to the face. I've come on and appealed. It's just the emotions running high. Two teams desperate to win. That was all it was.

"Probably one of those boring ones where it's a coming together. Bit of handbags, but nothing else.

"I'm a lover, not a fighter," he joked. "I appealed and then backed off really. It allowed Richie, my bodyguard to look after me.

"I don't think anything happened really. It was pretty boring. It was a coming together. A lot of passion and emotion.

"Me and Russ have had a chat outside and we're all good now."

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