Morgyn Neill aims to put things right after playoff sending off

After the shock, and the frustration. Beyond the apologies, and the backlash. There, in the aftermath, Morgyn Neill felt the dreaded weight of his actions.

Impassioned protests, caught in the maelstrom of the occasion. Those moments echo in his mind. Yellow, then red. And over again. Yellow, then red. And suddenly an arduous task is all the more difficult.

With half-time approaching, he is sent off. Alloa reduced to ten men mere minutes after falling a goal behind to Hamilton. The Wasps’ chances of making the Championship play-off final – and with it all promotion hopes – fading fast.

And despite a valiant showing from the Wasps, Hamilton settled the tie in the 77th minute, ending Alloa’s season in the process.

“After the game was the lowest I’ve ever felt in my whole career,” Neill told Advertiser Sport, the echoes of the events still ringing in his ears.

“I’m disappointed with myself – I let everybody down, I let the fans down, I let the club and my teammates down but I also let myself down.”

A couple of weeks have passed since the game, and that minute of madness for the Alloa centre half.

Two quick yellow cards – both for dissent – in the wake of Lewis Smith’s goal.

He then watched on as Conor Sammon grabbed a equaliser in the second half, and as Accies sealed win through Akheem Rose twenty minutes later.

Neill recalls the moment things went from bad to worse for the Wasps.

He said: “There was a build up to the goal and we think we should’ve had a foul; we don’t get it and then the ball goes out for a throw in.

“We were contesting that it was our throw in as well and then obviously Hamilton score from those incidents that built up to the goal.

“Dave McKay had a word with the ref after they scored, but as soon as I went over, he booked me right away because he was telling other people to leave.

“I told him it was an embarrassing decision, the word I used was embarrassing and he booked me right away.

“I lost the head within 10 seconds of that and I sarcastically clapped him and said: ‘Aye, good, well done’ and he booked me right away.

“I gave him the option of doing that and it was enough for him to send me off. I take full responsibility for doing it.”

Morgyn Neill in action for Alloa earlier this season. (Image: Scott Barron Photography)

After being sent off, Neill headed to the changing rooms where he was joined by his teammates and manager at half time.

He personally apologised to all of them before heading back outside to allow Andy Graham to provide his half time team talk.

The stopper said: “Andy came in at half time and he didn’t give me a rollicking. I’m an experienced player and we both know I messed up.

“He didn’t need to tell me that and the first thing I did was apologise to each and every one of them individually.”

He added: “I’m not making any excuses for it either, I gave the ref the easy option. I shouldn’t have reacted to it.

“I shouldn’t have reacted or even clapped, it was stupid and it cost the team that chance to get into the playoff final.”

Additionally, Neill also addressed claims he was sat on his phone at the interval.

The defender said: “A few people said they saw me on my phone at half time – I was just apologising to my mum, dad and my wife because they were at the game and they saw me do wrong.”

Afterwards, Andy Graham told the press that nobody in the dressing room will feel worse than Morgyn Neill.

Neill has been well supported by his manager and teammates and he has nothing but gratitude for them. Indeed, most were keen to reach out and give their backing.

“My teammates were all pretty good with me,” Neill continued. “A lot of them text me on the Saturday asking if I was alright.

Andy Graham in the dugout (Image: Scott Barron)

“Gaffer phoned me later that night just to see how I was. He’s been through it himself, he plays in my position and he asked me if I was alright.

“He told me to just try and forget about it, work hard over the summer and he tried to lift me up a bit.

“It was very touching because he didn’t need to say any of that to me. I will try to put this to the back of my mind and give 100 per cent because I always do.”

Still, the effects of the sending off would impact Neill in the days after the game, with some of the fallout turning nasty.

“I did get a number of messages giving me abuse for what happened in the playoffs.

“I understand their frustrations and anger, and all I can say is I apologise. I apologise to the fans, the club and my teammates.

“I need to live with that myself, I need to go through pre-season knowing that I’m suspended for the first game of the season.”

“It’s a low moment but I take full responsibility for it,” he added. “I just hope I can repay the fans next season and, hopefully, we go again and even push for the league.”

Indeed, Neill was one of three players already on a two-year contract – the others being Steven Hetherington and David McKay.

So he knows he has that chance to right the wrongs from the playoffs. With that in mind, he looks ahead with optimism.

He has vowed to come back stronger and placed his full commitment into helping the team secure promotion next season.

He said: “Apart from the 10 seconds of madness from myself, I feel I’ve done well for Alloa this season.

“I’ll always give 100 per cent to my club and I love it at Alloa. I’ve only been here one year but I’d happily finish my career at Alloa if that’s possible.”