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Fans slam ‘worst refereeing decision ever’ after red card in EFL clash

Published 14:22 28 Jan 2026 GMT

Updated 14:22 28 Jan 2026 GMT

Sammi Minion
Fans slam ‘worst refereeing decision ever’ after red card in EFL clash

Homesport

The sending off occurred on Tuesday evening

Football fans have taken to social media to bemoan a refereeing decision made during a League One clash between Huddersfield and Luton on Tuesday night.

In just the 29th minute of the match, Terriers star Alfie May was shown a straight red card after he appeared to pull at rival player Kasey Palmer's hair.

Despite being reduced to 10-men so early in the match, Huddersfield still secured a 1-0 victory over Jack Wilshere's Luton, via a Ryan Ledson winner early in the second half.

Even though the West Yorkshire outfit came out of the clash victorious, the result didn't prevent fans from taking to social media to vent their frustration at the sending off decision.

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One Huddersfield supporter described the red card as: "quite possibly the worst refereeing decision I've seen in my 35 year existence."

Huddersfield supporters were continually keen to point out that the hair pull looked to have occurred accidentally, as May reached for his opponents shirt.

One fan added: "Alfie may has just been sent off for this! No way he means to pull his hair! He is trying to get the other side [a]nd catches his hair.

"The game's gone."

Another fan simply described the decision as a "shocking red."

The Alfie May sending off comes just weeks after a surprisingly similar incident in the Premier League involving Everton's Michael Keane.

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Following a lengthy VAR review, Keane was sent off for a hair pull on Tolu Arokodare.

In response to the claims from Huddersfield fans, one X user made reference to the Michael Keane example as a case study; saying the Alfie May red card was an example of: "stupidity to get sent off for pulling an opponent’s hair 3 weeks after the law was highlighted by Michael Keane’s dismissal against wolves."

Following the result, Huddersfield are 6th in the division, just within the play-off spots, while Luton remain outside languishing in 8th.

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Fans slam 'worst refereeing decision ever' after red card in EFL clash