Who was the first player to have a red card rescinded after a game?

[Snibbo]

In September 1969, Northampton Town played away to Swansea in the old Division Four, which is an intro nobody expected to be reading in the year 2025. After 66 minutes their forward Frank Large, frustrated after the referee had given a free-kick against him, booted the ball into the crowd and hit a 12-year-old flush in the face. As Large walked over to apologise, Billy Carroll, a former Swansea player, ran on to the field and chinned him. Large threw hands in response and was sent off.

"That little fellow reminded me of my own son who drowned 12 years ago," said Carroll, who wrote a letter to the FA disciplinary committee in support of Large. A month later, Large was cleared. "Having heard the evidence, the commission is satisfied that Large acted in self-defence and was not guilty of violent conduct," said a spokesman. "The commission has decided that no further action be taken."

The red card wasn't officially rescinded, as far as we can tell, but this is an early example of a player avoiding a suspension after being sent off.


https://www.theguardian.com/football/2025/apr/16/first-footballer-to-have-a-red-card-rescinded-the-knowledge?CMP=Share_AndroidApp_Other