Bolton Wanderers manager Ian Evatt said his side have to be better when it comes to receiving yellow cards for dissent.
Makeshift centre back Gethin Jones was sent off in Wanderers’ 1-1 draw at home to Peterborough United on Saturday afternoon, whilst George Thomason received his fifth yellow card in League One this season. Both of these booking mean that both players will miss Saturday’s trip to Port Vale.
Evatt was also booked on Saturday on the touchline, and said both he and the players need to be careful not to pick up more yellows unnecessarily.
“We have talked about ill-discipline and I don’t mind yellow cards for legitimate tackles but when it becomes dissent or something that you have done wrong that has cost the team then there will be punishments,” he told The Bolton News.
“Last week at Reading there were punishments because we got a yellow card for dissent, which affected us, to we have to learn.
“We have to stay more disciplined – all of us, and I am included in that as well.”
Ian Evatt on George Thomason discipline
Evatt also said that he believes Thomason can do better, with his booking on Saturday being his seventh in all competitions this season.
“That is something George needs to learn from and develop,” the manager said. “I don’t think all the yellow cards he has received have been avoidable and the one last week at Reading was incredible, but something he needs to learn as a young player is to stay on the right side of it.
“We have lost him and Gethin now for next weekend. Eoin Toal is returning, so fingers crossed we can get one or two more back.”