Gary O’Neil admitted he deserved to be red carded for the first time in his 15-year career in the Championship play-off final against Derby.
But it was a dismissal with a golden lining – about £70million worth.
It meant Rs kept the score at 0-0 that would pave the way to Bobby Zamora’s last-minute winner, and the way back to the Premier League.
The midfielder took out Johnny Russell from behind just before the hour, just as the Ram was about to break unhindered into the box.
O’Neil took the hit on behalf of the team, and revealed the management on the bench had said it was the right thing to do.
O’Neil explained: “It was definite red – I knew that when I did it. But when the ref walked across to the lino, he kind of sucked me into believing I had a chance.
“I made a decision that was the best thing to do, and it paid off in the end.
“I thought the lad was going to score, and I had about two yards before he got into the penalty area.
“It’s not something you want to do, and I hope it’s not something I ever have to do again.
“But there was so much riding on it, and with 40,000 fans there.”
O'Neil had to clebrate on his own in the tunnel with a cup of tea in his hand, which he claims was just as well.
"It meant I could leap about with no-one in the way, and it was great to swap the tea for a couple of glasses of champagne at the end," he added.
