7 Players With the Most Red Cards in Premier League History
The Premier League continues to produce scintillating goals and assists, great drama and memorable action every weekend.
As players like Harry Kane and Sergio Aguero continue to soar up the all-time goalscoring charts, we wanted to take a moment to look at players vying for a different record - the most red cards in history.
7. Alan Smith (7 Red Cards)
We start with Alan Smith, who was renowned for his high work rate and even higher challenges during his time in the Premier League with Leeds, Manchester United and Newcastle United.
Throughout his 20-year career in football, Smith saw red a total of 11 times - seven of which came in the Premier League alone.
6. Vinnie Jones (7 Red Cards)
One of the scariest men to ever play the game, Jones was once booked THREE SECONDS into a game, and there's a rather famous photo of him grabbing Paul Gascoigne by the nuts.
So it should come as no surprise to learn that Jones was sent off seven times in the Premier League.
5. Lee Cattermole (7 Red Cards)
In 2016 it was reported that Sunderland midfielder Lee Cattermole had received red and yellow cards more frequently than any player in the history of the Premier League.
The former Middlesbrough man's record of 1450 minutes per red card is one of the worst ever in the Premier League and by the age of 20 he had already been dismissed twice in his career.
His aggression and tough tackling have made him a respectable leader, however, and despite his seven dismissals he remains as vital as ever to the Sunderland starting XI.
4. Roy Keane (7 Red Cards)
Roy Keane - an extremely talented player, but a thug like no other. Joey Barton may have had his fair share of outrageous incidents, but he has never intentionally ended another footballer's season and arguably their career.
The Manchester United legend's admission that he'd hurt Alf-Inge Håland again was the lowest of the many low points during his career and his departure from Old Trafford in 2005 was done in his signature controversial style.
However, much like Cattermole, Keane was always a figurehead in the United side despite his disciplinary problems, and his performances were rewarded with a place in the Premier League PFA Team of the Year a very respectable five times.
3. Patrick Vieira (8 Red Cards)
The fact that only two of Vieira's eight dismissals were straight red cards show the Arsenal icon was not as much of a dirty player as his record makes him look.
The French midfielder, who also featured for Manchester City later in his career, was banned banned for six games after spitting at Neil Ruddock against West Ham.
Often described as a powerful and tenacious midfielder, Vieira certainly should not be put in the same bracket as some of the other players on this list and his record of 2308 minutes per red card is one of the cleanest of players with four or more dismissals.
2. Richard Dunne (8 Red Cards)
As well as having the joint-highest amount of red cards in Premier League history, former Manchester City stalwart Dunne also tops the list for own-goals.
Unlike his colleagues on this list, Dunne never had an extended suspension for disciplinary problems, and the majority of his cards were either professional fouls or clumsy challenges.
The former Republic of Ireland international retired just short of 500 Premier League appearances and his value to City was clear to see as he was named Player of the Year in four consecutive years.
1. Duncan Ferguson (8 Red Cards)
Ferguson's combative style of play resulted in six straight red cards in the Premier League and a prison sentence while playing for Rangers.
The former Everton striker was also sent off twice for successive yellow cards and became known as a menacing target man who often put defenders on the back foot with his aggression and strength.
Injuries and suspensions limited the Scotsman to only 68 goals, but despite his disciplinary problems he was a cult hero at Everton and following his release declined offers from a number of clubs with the intention of retiring.