The head coach was sent-off on the stroke of half-time as Argyle took on Bristol Rovers at the Memorial Stadium
06:30, 14 Jan 2026Updated 09:26, 14 Jan 2026
Tom Cleverley is facing his third touchline ban of the season after being sent-off during Plymouth Argyle's thrilling 4-3 Vertu Trophy victory away to Bristol Rovers, which moved them into the last eight of the competition.
The dismissal of Cleverley just before the half-time break at the Memorial Stadium came with the Pilgrims trailing 2-1 at the time.
Cleverley was angered when referee Andrew Humphries, following consultation with one of his assistants, changed his decision to award Argyle a free-kick after striker Lorent Tolaj and Rovers captain Alfie Kilgour challenged for the ball.
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Humphries had also appeared ready to show a yellow card to Kilgour but, instead, Rovers were awarded a free-kick after Tolaj was deemed to have committed the foul.
In the immediate aftermath of that contentious moment Cleverley was shown a yellow card by Humphries, almost certainly for some comments he had made.
Then, before play restarted with the free-kick for Rovers, the referee went back towards Cleverley and showed him the yellow card again, followed by a red.
Cleverley had to make his way around the outside of half of the pitch at the Memorial Stadium to get to the players' tunnel, by which time the first half had ended.
The Argyle head coach watched a live stream of the second period from the away dressing room, accompanied by one of the club's backroom staff.
The Pilgrims scored twice in the opening four minutes after the interval to take a 3-2 lead, though substitute Brendan Galloway and Lorent Tolaj, before Luke Thomas equalised for Rovers just after the hour mark.
It looked like a penalty shoot-out would be needed to decide which team would advance to the quarter-finals of the Vertu Trophy until Bim Pepple, on as a second half substitute, scored Argyle's winning goal in the fourth minute of added time.
Cleverley's red card meant he could not carry out his post-match Press interview so, instead, long-serving first team coach Kevin Nancekivell spoke to the media.
He gave his account of the events which resulted in Cleverley being sent-off. "We were up thinking 'That's a free-kick to us' and expecting us to be able to put the ball in the box and put them under pressure, and then the referee is pointing the other way," said Nancekivell.
"Listen, he has made his decision. It seemed a bit bizarre to me, but it's not an easy job being a referee is it?"
Nancekivell said: "He (Cleverley) was disappointed in the decision. Tom's passion and desire for the football club to be successful shows and everyone can see that.
"He was upset with the referee's decision and we have to move on and accept what has happened."
Cleverley was also sent-off when Argyle won 3-2 away to Luton Town in League One in September and served a two-match touchline ban
The 36-year-old Pilgrims' boss also had to watch the Pilgrims' 1-0 home league defeat by Bradford City on December 6 from the directors' box after he received a third yellow card of the campaign in the 1-0 Vertu Trophy win away to Leyton Orient.
Another touchline ban is now on the cards for Cleverley after his altercation with the match officials against Bristol Rovers, whose head coach Steve Evans was also red- carded by Humphries after full-time.
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