Holloway facing ban and more therapy

13 April 2012

Ian Holloway fears he could be banned from the dug-out for the majority of Queens Park Rangers' promotion run-in after being sent off at Tranmere last night.

Holloway, who coincidentally has just completed an anger management course, was dismissed in the 81st minute of a stormy goalless draw at Prenton Park that also saw Rangers defender Marcus Bignot given his marching orders and Tranmere miss a retaken penalty.

The Rangers boss will now have to wait and see what action the FA take against him.

Although he protests his innocence, Holloway is bracing himself for a lengthy ban, possibly until the end of the season.

"I've been up before the FA before. They warned me then if they saw me again, I would be in big trouble," he said.

"The wife will probably see what's happened and think what the heck have I been up to. But I don't believe I deserved to go.

"I'd had a couple of altercations with the officials and they warned me not to say anything again. But when I jumped up and down to celebrate Tranmere hitting the post, the assistant referee claimed I'd called him a cheat. I'm not stupid enough to do that."

Holloway went to see referee Paul Robinson following the final whistle but admitted after the meeting: "It's my word against the assistant referee's so it looks like I've lost."

Coach Tim Breacker took charge of the dug-out for the final nine minutes and Rangers celebrated their point as if they had won the match.

"It was poetic justice," said midfielder Gareth Ainsworth.

"They didn't deserve to get the penalty in the first place and we certainly shouldn't have lost Bignot.

"The manager is one of us. He is someone you want to have in the trenches alongside you."

The draw leaves Rangers a point ahead of Bristol City for the second promotion position.

On-loan goalkeeper Lee Camp kept them in it with three outstanding saves from Eugene Dadi. But QPR then nearly went ahead when Ainsworth's shot was headed off the line by Ian Sharps.

The key sequence of events came in the 78th minute. Bignot was adjuged to have held back Gary Jones by Mr Robinson, who dismissed the Rangers player and awarded a penalty.

Dadi sent Camp the wrong way from the spot but the official ordered a retake for encroachment. The striker then hit the post with his second effort and Camp saved the rebound. Holloway's 'celebrations' got him into trouble but he was still proud of his players.

"QPR have been associated with pretty football in the past and we have to forget that. We will get results the ugly way if we have to," he said.

As for the anger management courses, to be shown as part of a TV documentary next month, Holloway has had a rethink.

"I had finished all the lessons but I might get on the phone and book a few more, the way I'm feeling," he said.

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Holloway facing ban and more therapy

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