Jay Hart, 24, was shown a straight red card by non-league Clitheroe after video emerged on social media of him scoring after their Evo-Stik Division One North match at Mossley on Saturday. Still wearing his club T-shirt, and with his tracksuit bottoms around his legs, the striker could be heard laughing as he forced home the loose ball during his pitch-side romp.
Hart had earlier come on as a 73rd-minute substitute for Clitheroe during the Lancashire side’s 4-1 defeat in their final away game of the season at Mossley’s Seel Park stadium. But he had no trouble finding the target with the unknown blonde, whose face cannot be seen during the 15-second clip of mobile phone footage.
Mossley had, ironically, designated the afternoon as ‘ladies’ day’ in a bid to promote the club and attract more female supporters.
One person who saw the video told the Daily Mail: “The camera came round the dugout and there was a blonde female with her head down. The man couldn’t see the camera because his eyes were closed. After a few seconds he opened his eyes and laughed and the camera panned away again.”
Hart had little opportunity to celebrate hitting the back of the net before he was sacked by Clitheroe for bringing the club into disrepute.
Angry chairwoman Anne Barker told the Daily Mail: “I can’t have somebody wearing the Clitheroe FC tracksuit bringing us down. It has brought the club into disrepute and it’s not proper for him to scupper our reputation. I expect our players to act professionally.”
Hart’s problems don’t end there – he must now try to rescue his relationship with girlfriend Bryony, with whom he has two young children. The repentant striker told the Mail: “All I want to say is that I regret doing what I did. I was drunk – I’d had more than a few drinks and I want to say I’m sorry to my family and everyone involved at Clitheroe.
“I regret that I did it, not that I got caught. I’ve spoken and tried to sort things out with Bryony. Everyone in the world knows about it – I just want to get my apology out there. I haven’t seen the girl since – I don’t have a clue who she is.”
