Bristol City boss Gary Johnson admitted his captain Jamie McCombe had been "petulant and unprofessional" for getting himself sent off in the 1-0 defeat at Derby, writes Nathan Jones.

The centre-half was yellow-carded twice in two minutes for fouls on Derby striker Rob Hulse, half-an-hour before Gary Teale fired in the only goal of the game.

McCombe was first booked for tripping Hulse, who then threw the ball at him. The pair then came face-to-face with McCombe falling to the floor.

Referee Mick Russell had none of it, but had little option a minute later when the former Scunthorpe man hacked Hulse down and made the long walk to the dressing room.

"It was petulant and unprofessional," said Johnson. "He (the referee) had given him an opportunity before he sent him off when he gave a foul and didn't send him off, and we were thinking maybe we have to take him off. Then, a minute later, he fouled the fella again. It didn't give us time to make the change.

"We didn't handle that very well and we have to be more professional as individuals and as a group when those things happen.

"He is as disappointed as anyone else. Over the years he has been a real stalwart for us but, as people do on occasions, they become unprofessional.

"He needed to keep his wits about him and not get involved when you are away from home.

"He will be disappointed because that's the type of he is but lad that doesn't stop me from giving him a rollicking to remind him.

"I think we will take action against him because we are missing our captain now for a game and my chairman will ask me why we are paying him this week."

There was a suggestion that McCombe had taken a dive during the inital incident with Hulse.

Johnson said: "I think they both went into each other and they got up and there was a bit of bravado and they went chest to chest and sometimes there is a little touch on somebody's face.

"But no I didn't think the lad went in to headbutt him and I don't think Jamie particularly went down because it didn't take him long to get up. I don't think it was that sort of game and

it was a shame that happened.

"He has apologised and he will do because he is a decent lad most of the time. He is captain on merit because he has had a few decent seasons but he has let his team-mates down and he knows that.

"After the game he was sitting in the dressing room on his own and I was the first one to go in. I looked him in the eye – when he was sitting down – and to be fair he made eye contact and

apologised."

McCombe will be suspended for tomorrow's home game with Blackpool so either Lewin Nyatanga or Louis Carey will replace him.

Charismatic former Rovers boss Ian Holloway is now in charge at Blackpool. "It is about Bristol City and Blackpool," insisted Johnson.

"I know Ian Holloway was at Bristol Rovers and I actually enjoy Ian's antics and I like him as a person so if he wants to entertain the crowd he will be entertaining me as well."

Meanwhile, Johnson insisted defender Andre Blackman's future at the club has not yet been decided. There has been speculation that the former Portsmouth and Arsenal man's contract will be terminated for indiscipline.

"That is something that is in-house and people are probably thinking it is worse than what it is," he said. "As a particular newspaper reported, it is not me being unimpressed with him it

is a disciplinary thing and he will take his rap and then we will see what his rap is.

"We are still deciding that. He is only a young lad and he is another one who has to grow up quickly."

ends