Peterborough United chairman Darragh MacAnthony has launched a furious broadside at Tayo Edun following the left-back’s second red card of the season, labelling it a “moment of madness” that could seriously damage his career at the club.
In a typically blunt edition of his ‘Hard Truth’ podcast, MacAnthony dissected the 4-0 derby defeat to Northampton Town and the follow-up loss to Birmingham City, offering a harsh appraisal of his squad’s character and discipline—saving his strongest words for Edun.
The former Fulham and Lincoln City man was sent off in the first half against Northampton, leaving Posh with ten men in a fiery Nene derby that quickly spiralled into one of their worst results of the season.
“Tayo lost his head and picked up his second red card in a few games,” said MacAnthony. “I can’t defend ridiculous red cards. Imagine if something like that happened in a play-off game? It would be season over because of a moment of madness.”
“Temper tantrum” draws ire amid call for accountability
But Edun wasn’t the only target. The chairman went on to describe a substitute’s angry reaction to being withdrawn against Birmingham as “petulant” and “unprofessional”.
“One of our players threw his hands up, didn’t shake hands properly, kicked his water bottle. My CEO had to stop me going down there,” MacAnthony revealed. “You don’t react like that if you’re all in for the team.”
The outburst came amid wider criticism of player commitment, with MacAnthony lamenting the lack of “hard yards” from some individuals in the Northampton match—something he insists should be a minimum expectation, particularly in a derby fixture.
Promotion expectations versus reality
With Peterborough still harbouring hopes of a strong end to the campaign—and a Wembley final looming—the chairman didn’t shy away from drawing comparisons to the professionalism of table-topping Birmingham City.
“They’re walking the league, but still put in a shift,” he said. “That’s the standard, regardless of budget. And it’s what our successful promotion teams have always had—camaraderie, hunger, discipline.”
MacAnthony was equally damning of past incidents, citing Bradley Ihionvien’s disciplinary lapses and expressing the need for players to “look in the mirror” and decide what kind of professionals they want to be.
Writer’s view
When Darragh MacAnthony speaks like this, you know big decisions are coming. The message to Edun is clear: talent alone isn’t enough. His passion is evident, but repeated red cards suggest a lack of discipline that the club can’t afford. With his contract future unclear and squad reshuffles ahead, this could be a pivotal moment in Edun’s Posh career. Whether he learns from it or not might decide everything.
