These players are no stranger to a red card, or even a court case…
10. Mario Balotelli
Aged only 23, Balotelli has already attracted a lot of negative press for his antics on and off the pitch. Having been photographed firing Air Pistols, posing with two noted Mafia mobsters and leaving a strip club 48 hours before a Premier League game, which resulted in a £250,000 fine for the striker. Further controversies include his AC Milan boss banning him from go-karting due to risk of injury, only for Balotelli to drove his own Ferrari around the track. Almost setting his own house on fire whilst playing with Fireworks and a bust up with his former Manager at Manchester City, Roberto Mancini. All of these incidents are reason enough for the Italian’s famous slogan ‘Why always me?’.9. Stan Collymore
Collymore was in a high profile relationship with TV Present Ulrika Jonsson, before he attacked her in a bar in Paris. He then married American Swimmer Estelle Williams, with the couple divorcing in 2007 and Collymore ending up arrested for threats to kill and threatening behaviour – with the charges later dropped. A few years later and he was again in trouble after being caught ‘dogging’ by an undercover News Of The World reporter, resulting in Collymore losing his job at BBC Radio 5 Live.8. Vinnie Jones
Despite not playing football since 1999, Jones is still considered one of football’s hard men. He had one of the fastest red card in the history of football, after only three seconds into a match in 1987 . Off the pitch he has been charged with actual bodily harm on a neighbour back in 1997, staying out of trouble until 2003 where he was charged with assault and threatening behaviour in an air rage incident after getting drunk, slapping a passenger and threatening the cabin crew.7. Luis Suarez
In 2011 Suarez was found guilty by the FA of racially abusing Manchester United defender Patrice Evra, he was given an eight game suspension and a fine of £40,000. Suarez has been caught biting players of the opposition on two occasions, once back in 2010 whilst playing for Ajax where he bit PSV player Ottman Bakkal on the shoulder during an altercation, resulting in a two match ban and a fine of an undisclosed amount. Secondly he bit the arm of Chelsea player Branislav Ivanovic, the FA charged Suarez with violent conduct and Liverpool fined him an undisclosed amount, he was also handed a ten match ban. 6.Roy Keane
Keane was given a red card for his ‘revenge attack’ foul on then Manchester City player Alf-Inge Haland, in 2001. Back in 1997, Haland was playing for Leeds against Manchester United, during this match Haland approached Keane who was laying on the ground injured and criticised him for an attempted foul and accused him of feigning injury to avoid punishment. During a Manchester derby which saw Keane up against Haland, Keane took his chance in the final minutes of the game to launch a premeditated knee-high foul on Haland. This initially resulted in the United Captain recieving a £5000 fine and a four month ban, that was until he released his autobiography in 2002 and admitted he intended to hurt Haland with the foul. The FA then fined Keane £150,000 and banned him for a further five months.
5. Paulo Di-Canio
Di-Canio suffered an eleven match ban and a £10,000 fine back in 1998 for pushing over a referee after being shown a red card whilst playing for Sheffield Wednesday. He also received negative criticism for his self-proclaimed allegiance to Fascism, which included covering his back in fascist themed tattoos and making a Roman salute towards Lazio fans whilst he was playing for Roma, resulting a fine for the Italian and a one match ban. 4. Eric Cantona
Whilst playing for Manchester United in 1995, Cantona was off for a foul on Crystal Palace defender Richard Shaw, he was walking towards the tunnel to leave the pitch when a Palace fan greeted the French forward with a series of insults, causing Cantona to launch himself karate kick style with his studs first into the Palace fans chest. Manchester United banned him for four months, he was forced to serve 120 hours of community service and had to pay a £20,000 fine.
3. John Terry
The former England captain has landed himself in hot water on numerous occasions, including having an affair with then team-mate Wayne Bridge’s wife, to mocking Americans in a Heathrow bar in the wake of the 9/11 attacks. However the most famous incident on Terry’s rap sheet has to be his time spent under police investigation for allegedly racially abusing former QPR player Anton Ferdinand, later to be found not guilty in court, yet still charged by the FA. The Chelsea defender has notched up a few enemies on and off the pitch over the years.2. Diego Maradona
Not too long after causing controversy for his ‘hand of God’ moment against England back in the 1986 FIFA World Cup Quarter Final, it became known that Maradona had a Cocaine addiction from the mid 1980’s until 2004. Whilst playing for Napoli he had a serious addiction which caused the Argentine to later be banned from playing football for 15 months after failing a drugs test in 1991. Maradona was also given a two year and ten month suspended jail sentence in 1998 after shooting some journalists outside his home with an air rifle.1. Joey Barton
Despite previously stubbing a lit cigar out in a team-mates eye, being charged by the FA for violent conduct on no less than three occasions and breaking a pedestrians leg whilst driving through Liverpool at 2 a.m. It would appear Barton has calmed down slightly in his more mature years. Having received a total of 75 yellow cards and 7 red cards in his football career, with the QPR midfielder known for a dirty tackle or two, nowadays he manages to restrain himself on the pitch – which doesn’t stop him using his outspoken ways to cause controversy on Twitter.