Rob Edwards joked that he’s a “lover not a fighter” as he described the both bench ruckus that saw Swansea manager Russell Martin and his Hatters assistant and “bodyguard” Richie Kyle sent off at the end of Luton’s 1-0 Championship win.
Carlton Morris’ first-half tap-in – his 14th of the season – earned Town the points, but the hosts had to scrap it out in the second period to claim a 14th clean sheet.
And passions boiled over as the clocked ticked into the final minute when midfielder Marvelous Nakambe was pushed in the face and both dugouts went at each other.
Luton boss Edwards said: “I probably started it all off by appealing. I felt there was a hand to the face. I’ll have a look back. Whatever it was, I appealed. It’s just emotions running high and two teams desperate to win and fighting – not literally fighting – and desperate to win. And that was all it was.
“So, it’s probably one of those boring ones, but there was a coming together, a bit of handbags, but nothing else.”
Nevertheless, the sight of Martin and Kyle marching across the Kenilworth Road pitch and down the tunnel was part of a chaotic finale.
Asked again for his take on the melee, Edwards said: “I’m a lover not a fighter. I appealed and then backed off really and let Richie, my bodyguard, to look after me. I don’t think anything happened really. It was pretty boring. I just think it was a coming together. It was nothing, just a lot of passion and emotion. Both teams were pretty desperate to win and that was it.”
But Edwards did confirm that he’d spoken afterwards with his former Norwich team-mate, Martin, to smooth it over.
“Russ is very athletic man. I wouldn’t want to get in any trouble with him. We’ve just had a chat outside and it’s all fine. We’re all good,” the Town chief said.
Giving his take on the mass brawl that earned him his marching orders, the Swansea boss said: “I’m watching the action at the end, Rob’s jumped on the pitch, I told him to get off the pitch. I really like Rob, he’s an ex-team-mate of mine, and then RIchie got involved, so I sort of nudged him and pushed him away really, to get out of the way and not create that. Then it ended up in two red cards, which I’m not convinced are necessary really, but it was what it is.”
On what sparked the incident, Martin said: “I couldn’t tell you , think (Liam) Walsh and one of their players was having an off-the-ball scuffle, I don’t know, as I was watching the game as it was in the goalmouth at the other end.
“There doesn’t need to be two red cards, if I’m honest. It happens every week on the touchline it just happened today at Luton where the touchlines are incredibly close to the pitch and incredibly close together.
“It’s played its part, I’ve played my part, Rob has played his part, Richie’s played his part, Rob’s not going to get fined and me and Richie are, so Rob’s all right.
“I said to him (referee Dean Whitestone), ‘you’re going to send us both off, we’re going to have to walk across the pitch, it’s going to make your life harder for the next four minutes, it really doesn’t need to happen’. But it’s happened, it is what it is.”
Edwards has developed a quick rapport with Hatters fans and they again sang his name at the final whistle as he applauded them in a half-lap of appreciation that ended with the crowd egging him on to a double fist-pump celebration before he departed down the tunnel.
Asked if the fracas had demonstrated some passion, Edwards said: “It’s hard to explain because I know (with) supporters, you’re kind of both into a football club, and especially our passionate fans, and you’re lifelong fans and the club means so much.
“For me anyway, when you work here, and how we’ve been embraced, I can’t explain how much it means and how much it matters to us.
“We’re just desperate to do well and desperate to win, for the supporters, for the lads and obviously for ourselves as well. And that’ll go for every manager.
“There is passion at times. I’ve got to look at staying behind the lines, staying in the box and I’ll hold hands up on that one, but, yeah, we care.”
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