Ryan Valentine sorry for red card

Bucks bad-boy Ryan Valentine today apologised for his red-card tackle in the weekend draw at Alfreton.

Full-back Valentine was sent off 21 minutes into the game for a rash challenge on home striker Paul Clayton.

The 29-year-old former Wrexham defender said: "I will never condone what I did and I should never have made such a rash challenge.

"I let the lads down and I'm happy they managed to get a point.

"At my age you would hope I would have learned how to deal with it.

"I got what I felt was a deliberate elbow to the face which left me needing stitches. That was how I saw it but it doesn't excuse what I did."

The cut left Valentine needing treatment off the pitch, a time-frame when many felt he should have regained his composure.

But the defender felt the treatment took too long, something which failed to lighten his mood.

"Again that doesn't condone what I did and I'm just glad I'm only missing a week's worth of games because we have a midweek game," he added.

"Hopefully I can keep my fitness levels up and try to get back in the side."

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