Edgar Davids, Barnet's former Holland, Ajax, Juventus and Tottenham midfielder, proved he has lost none of his famed tenacity by being sent off for striking an opponent in their televised Skrill Conference Premier game against Wrexham yesterday.

The 40-year-old player-manager, who named himself captain and started in central defence, tussled for the ball with Wrexham's Stephen Wright, leading to both players being dismissed. From the free-kick that followed on the edge of Barnet's penalty area, Wrexham's Dean Keates scored, securing a 1-1 draw.

There was still time, though, for a third red card: Wrexham's Johnny Hunt dismissed for a challenge which left Curtis Weston with a suspected broken leg. Hunt later tweeted: "I would like to apologise … I am not that type of player."

Wrexham's manager Andy Morrell told the BBC he planned to launch an appeal against Wright's red card. "It was our free-kick … Wrighty has gone in and tried to get the ball back, there's nothing in it – he's not tried to punch him to get the ball off him or anything like that – and Davids has reacted to it and belted him in the face.

"I think he's a straight red and if Wrighty gets a yellow I'm disappointed, we'll definitely have a look but I think we'll have an appeal there for us.

"Johnny Hunt's was a bad tackle … Our disciplinary record is not good at the minute and we need to curb it and get people that are playing on the pitch for the right reasons."