Sent off Town striker Marcus Stewart has commented on referee Peter Jones's decision to give him a red card on Saturday. The Premiership's top scorer said: "I barely touched the lad. He went about 50ft up in the air and it looked as if someone much bigger than me had tackled him."

Stewart, who has never been sent off before, is to launch an appeal and added: "I thought I was going to get a yellow card but was amazed when he pulled out a red. I'm not a dirty player. I have never been sent off before, either as a professional or as a kid."

It was Harte's reaction that most displeased the Town crowd. His leap in the air followed by comedy writhing around not seen since 1970s South American football would have ben laughable had the referee and linesman not fallen for it so completely.

Although not commenting on his player's reaction David O'Leary said of the decision: "From where I was it looked very harsh. I was very surprised to see a red card."

George Burley said that Town will be asking the FA to review the video evidence and will seek to have the card reduced to a yellow: "It was a very harsh sending off and I don't think anyone else in the ground thought it was a red card."

If the red card does stand Stewart will miss three games, the matches against Everton, Bradford and the re-arranged game with Aston Villa.

Town are taking a few days away to rest after a punishing two months or so. The Blues played 15 games in December and January and are off to Malaga before returning for Saturday's visit to Highbury.

Marcus Stewart said of the trip: "We have an excellent team spirit already but there are a couple of relatively new faces and this gives us a chance to go out together and recharge our batteries."

Town's Academy sides won one and drew one at the weekend. The U19s drew 2-2 with Coventry City with both goals coming from Darren Bent.

The U17s won 2-1 away at QPR. The goals there came from Matt Robinson and Sam Morrow.

Jason Cundy was present at Town's game on Saturday and thanks TWTD readers for the huge number of emails he received wishing him well after his recent retirement. Jason will be writing a piece thanking fans for the good wishes later in the week.

He told TWTD that he was "quite choked" at the reaction and that it was great to know that there were people behind him like that.

Jason now plans to get his coaching badges and move into that side of the game. The former Town centre-half was forced to retire from the game earlier this year with a knee problem.

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