You can bet your arse he was “excessive”.
Richie Towell arrived at Brighton this time last year and the world was at his feet.
He had enjoyed the season of his young professional career with Dundalk and left Ireland for a second chance at that big footballing break. Having been at Celtic previously, Toell knew all about the heartache of trying, trying again and falling short.
This time would be different, he told himself. Irish supporters thought likewise and there was genuine talk about a good run in the Championship propelling him into the Irish squad ahead of Euro 2016.
He just couldn’t get a break, though. He struggled to break into the first squad, pick up a couple of injuries and his confidence took a hit.
Brighton missed out on promotion and the entire club mourned before setting their sights on an even better 2016/17. So did Towell but injury struck again. He only recently got back to full fitness but game-time has been scarce.
This afternoon is only his third senior appearance of the season but Towell cracked home a superb goal midway through the first half of his side’s FA Cup clash with Lincoln.
https://twitter.com/justinallen1976/status/825365042585546752
https://twitter.com/1901Nick/status/825365759903854593
Nice one Richie Towell! So pleased he has scored, I hope he's going to play an important part in the run in this season. #bhafc
— Colin Curryer (@colincurryer) January 28, 2017
Towell was a man possessed as he wheeled away. Joy has been a long time coming but he is back making a big difference again.
Over he ran to the ecstatic Brighton supporters and he took their acclaim from atop an advertising hoarding.
decent finish pic.twitter.com/lVv93SgOZf
— Stephen Neill (@stiofanoneill) January 28, 2017
Unfortunately for the Dubliner, he was then booked for that modern football crime of ‘excessive celebration’. It was very, very harsh.
If only referee Andy Madley knew just what that crisp strike meant to him…
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