REFEREE Mick Russell has rung Southend United manager Steve Tilson to apologise for his poor performance at Swindon Town on Saturday.

Russell angered the Shrimpers with a trio of controversial decisions at the County Ground.

But he has now held his hands up to making some shocking verdicts.

“Fair play to him for doing that because he didn’t have to,” said Tilson.

“He rang up to say that Christophe shouldn’t have been sent off, that we should have had a penalty when Franck Moussa got fouled in the area in the second half and that he also should have disallowed Swindon’s second goal for a foul on Simon Francis.

“He rang the Football Association to try and get Christophe off his one match ban but because he was sent off for two yellow cards there wasn’t nothing he could do.

“It doesn’t change much but it’s something he didn’t have to do and we respect it for that.”