Referee Anthony Taylor was spot on to show a red card to Brighton captain Lewis Dunk for foul and abusive language… let’s hope other players will take heed

On television it looked like Lewis Dunk was trying to say sorry. His hand was extended to referee Anthony Taylor in what appeared to be a gesture of contrition.

The Brighton captain had clearly realized what he had said and how far he had gone over the line. But by then it was too late. Taylor had heard enough. A straight red card.

And there we had it – almost unnoticed. The first straight red card issued in more than eleven years as punishment for foul and offensive language in the Premier League.

It is very special that it has been so long. Lee Cattermole was the last player to suffer such a fate while playing in the Tyne-Wear derby for Sunderland. Mike Dean had been the referee.

So if Saturday afternoon at Nottingham Forest’s City Ground felt like a milestone, it should. Match officials in our top division have had to put up with far too much for far too long.

The Brighton defender got in the face from fourth official Andy Davies after his dismissal

Mail Sport has launched a campaign to stop the abuse of referees at all levels of the game

It has always been in their power to hand out red cards when they are belittled, sworn at and metaphorically berated. It is very clearly described in the IFAB rules. But for too long, yellow has been the card of choice.

Why? No one knows for sure. Perhaps it has to do with the fact that if referees were to apply the law literally, they suspect there would be no one left by the time more than ninety minutes had been played.

However, in the heat of a fairly hectic afternoon in Nottingham, Taylor decided it was time to impose a penalty that actually meant something. No slap on the wrist for Dunk but a two-game suspension and a dismissal that he should be quite ashamed of. It didn’t change the result. Brighton held on and won 3-2.

But when Forest midfielder Ryan Yates rose unnoticed in stoppage time to power what could have been an equalizing header towards goal, the visitors certainly looked like they could have been in danger with a 6ft 4in centre-back take away.

Ultimately, it was forest manager Steve Cooper who had the most say on a full-time basis. He was highly critical of what he perceived as inconsistencies in Taylor’s performance. His comments were about the right side of acceptable. Just now.

Managers should be within their rights to comment on the performance of match officials. As long as their language is correct and they do not insinuate bias or ulterior motives, they should feel comfortable expressing their opinions. Criticism must be able to play a role in driving standards. Pretending that everything is fine when it isn’t is of no use to anyone.

What’s not okay is the histrionics and full-time melodramas that have become so familiar to anyone who watches the Premier League every week.

It is this blatant disrespect for the referees that drips down the football pyramid and distorts the perception of those who play on the fields and parks of our island every Saturday and Sunday morning.

Dunk and his rant will also be watched and rewatched on TV and social media throughout the weekend. But that’s only because the outcome was so unusual.

It would be fun – and probably unrealistic – to think that teammates and opponents would have clocked it and taken heed. We’ll keep an eye on that specific space.