Bolton inspired by sending off

I've never quite understood why fans cheer a player of their side who's just been sent off.

It happened yesterday when Bolton's Mark Davies was sent off for a second yellow card, having elbowed Blackburn's Phil Jones in a heading challenge. Davies was cheered and applauded as he (eventually) left the field, despite having just left his team one man short and with an uphill battle for the rest of the game.

The fact that Bolton did go on to win the game is not relevant. If it was a good idea to play one man short, every team would start with only ten!

Having cheered their own dismissed man from the field, the Bolton fans then booed victim Phil Jones's every touch. Incredible.

Amazingly, Bolton did seem to be inspired by the sending off! They took the lead, and then, when Blackburn equalised, they re-took the lead within 10 seconds of the re-start, and hung on ro win 2-1. Bolton now find themselves in the dizzyingly high position of sixth, only six points behind the leaders!