"I booted a water bottle" - Plymouth Argyle: Wayne Rooney opens up on Blackburn Rovers red card incident | OneFootball

The Argyle boss was dismissed from the dugout during his side's 2-1 victory on Saturday

Plymouth Argyle boss Wayne Rooney has opened up on his red card during his side’s 2-1 victory over Blackburn Rovers on Saturday.

The Greens boss was dismissed after the visitors equalised through Joe Rankin-Costello’s header four minutes from time at Home Park, having been aggrieved that his side weren’t awarded a foul in the buildup.

An X-rated rant at the fourth official and the kicking of a water bottle into the stands saw referee James Linington reaching for his back pocket to give Rooney his marching orders, before his side went on to win the match in stoppage time thanks to Morgan Whittaker’s header.

The Argyle manager has since been charged with improper conduct by the Football Association on three charges; citing insulting or abusive language towards an official, improper and/or violent conduct, and returning to the field of play after his dismissal.

Wayne Rooney on Plymouth Argyle red card against Blackburn Rovers

Rooney is said to have until October 15th to respond to any charges relating to the incident, with the likelihood of a ban from the FA incoming for the Greens’ boss.

Speaking to Gary Neville, Jill Scott, Roy Keane and Ian Wright on The Overlap this week, the 38-year-old explained the situation, with the refereeing decision still wrangling him days on.

The Argyle boss said: “It was a clear foul and they [the officials] have all missed it, and they [Blackburn Rovers] have scored from it.

“So I have gone to the fourth official.”

When Neville probed the Argyle boss whether he swore at the fourth official, Rooney said, “Yeah, and I booted a water bottle, but accidentally it hit one of our fans.

“So I was in the tunnel, I tried a [Arsene] Wenger and I tried to just go in the stand, so I was in the tunnel when we scored, yeah.”

Wayne Rooney’s turnaround in Plymouth Argyle form

Rooney also went on to expand on his time at Argyle so far, with the former Manchester United striker turning things around since an opening day 4-0 defeat to Sheffield Wednesday at Hillsborough.

He continued: “The first game, it is one of them where you are stood there thinking ‘what am I doing here’, but the lads have been great since, to be fair to them.

“We finished a point above the relegation zone last season, sow we are just trying to keep improving over the next two or three years, and just try to gradually improve.”

Since that opening day humiliation, Argyle have gone from strength to strength, with the Blackburn victory the third straight win in front of their own fans, with Sunderland and Luton Town also emerging from Home Park with nothing to show for their efforts.

Slender away defeats to West Brom and Burnley have also come in the past few weeks, with Rooney among the nominees for Saturday’s Championship manager of the month after his recent upturn in results.

With a trip to basement side Cardiff City to come after the international break, the Pilgrims will be looking to claim a first away win of the season, having picked up just one point on their travels so far.

Whether Rooney is on the sidelines for the trip to Wales remains to be seen, but either way, he has got his squad playing for him and implementing his style, with results proving he has what it takes to excel in the dugout.