Referee's five card trick

BBC Sport Online's Chris Charles on the Brazilian referee banned for dishing out five cards to the same player - in the same match.

English referees have been having a hard time of it this season.

Rarely a game goes by without the management bemoaning a decision or three made by the man in the middle.

But next time the big chiefs are about to blow a gasket, they should remember the tale of the official from Brazil who showed five cards to the same player - in the same match!

Edmilson Timoteo da Silva was the ref in question when River met Oeiras in the State League of Piaui, north-east Brazil.

Araujo finally went for the early bath

Everything was going smoothly until Oeiras player Paulo Araujo upended an opponent and was promptly shown the yellow card.

Not long afterwards, Araujo was at it again and Da Silva pulled out another yellow, followed swiftly by a red.

And that should have been that.

Only it wasn't.

Rather than leave with his tail between his legs, Araujo decided, in his infinite wisdom, that he would stay on the pitch.

Early bath

Quite how the referee, his plethora of assistants and the entire River bench failed to spot his non-departure is anyone's guess.

And Araujo would have got away with it too, if it hadn't been for his pesky temperament.

The player committed yet another foul and it was only when Da Silva went to take his name, again, that the penny dropped.

After receiving another pair of cards, Araujo this time opted for the early bath, leaving Da Silva in very hot water.

I am going to get a place in the Guinness Book of Records for the number of cards I gave

Edmilson Timoteo da Silva

The official claimed some of the players looked similar, which is why he hadn't noticed his mistake. Presumably he had also lost the ability to count.

But that didn't cut any ice with the Brazilian Football Confederation, which immediately banned him for the foreseeable future.

CBF president Edson Rezende said: "I consider this a serious mistake, because neither the referee or his four assistants said anything."

Even Da Silva confessed he had "never seen anything like it".

"People have even said I am going to get a place in the Guinness Book of Records for the number of cards I gave," he added.

Rumours that he has been signed up to officiate in the Premiership next season are as yet unconfirmed.