Top 10 Bad Boys in Premier League History

No 1 is Irish.

In April, James Tarkowski of Everton set a unique Premier League record by receiving 64 yellow cards in his career without ever being sent off. This season, Everton ranks in the top ten for both red and yellow cards in the Premier League.

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Top 10 football hooligans of the Premier League era

With all due respect to Tarkowski, his legacy may well be limited to that card-related record. But throughout Premier League history, there have been plenty of truly great players who managed to combine genius and villainy in equal measure. Here are the top 10 football hooligans of the Premier League era.

10. Lee Cattermole

• Premier League career: 2005–2017

• Clubs: Middlesbrough, Wigan Athletic, Sunderland

• Trophies: None

• Red cards: 7

• Yellow cards: 88

Lee Cattermole wasn’t a household name to casual fans—but to referees, he definitely was. A tough-tackling midfielder with zero fear and questionable timing, Cattermole picked up yellow cards like they were performance bonuses. He led the league in bookings multiple seasons.

He never truly crossed into violent territory off the pitch, but his in-game recklessness was legendary. From two-footed lunges to late tackles, if there was a scuffle on the pitch, Cattermole was usually involved. His aggression rarely brought success to his teams, but it sure made him unforgettable.

9. Ben Thatcher

• Premier League career: 1994–2007

• Clubs: Wimbledon, Tottenham, Manchester City

• Trophies: None

• Red cards: 4

• Yellow cards: 36

Ben Thatcher would be much lower on this list if not for one single, horrific moment. In 2006, during a match against Portsmouth, he smashed an elbow into Pedro Mendes’s head at full speed, knocking him unconscious and sending him into seizures. 

Though the incident earned him only a yellow card during the game, Thatcher was banned for 8 matches and fined six weeks’ wages after public outcry. It wasn’t the first time he’d thrown a dirty challenge, but it was definitely the most disgraceful—and it defined his career.

8. Mario Balotelli

• Premier League career: 2010–2016

• Clubs: Manchester City, Liverpool

• Trophies: 1 Premier League title

• Red cards: 3

• Yellow cards: 11

Balotelli was less of a dirty player and more of a walking circus. On his day, he was unplayable; on other days, he was setting his bathroom on fire with fireworks. In one season at Man City, he racked up more headlines than goals, often thanks to off-the-pitch antics and bizarre decisions during games.

His most infamous moment came in 2011, when he was sent off against Arsenal after two reckless challenges. Earlier that season, he had revealed a shirt saying "Why Always Me?" after scoring against Manchester United—perfectly summing up his chaotic existence in English football.

7. Eric Cantona

• Premier League career: 1992–1997

• Club: Manchester United

• Trophies: 4 Premier League titles, 2 FA Cups

• Red cards: 3

• Yellow cards: 23

Cantona wasn’t a violent player in the traditional sense—but his rage could explode spectacularly. In 1995, after being sent off against Crystal Palace, he launched a kung-fu kick into the stands, attacking a fan who had insulted him. The image of Cantona in mid-air became one of football’s most infamous moments.

The Frenchman received a nine-month ban and 120 hours of community service. Despite that, he returned stronger and helped United to further glory. He remains a cult icon, a genius with a temper, whose moments of madness were matched only by his brilliance.

6. Diego Costa

• Premier League career: 2014–2017

• Club: Chelsea

• Trophies: 2 Premier League titles, 1 League Cup

• Red cards: 1

• Yellow cards: 24

Costa was a master of football’s dark arts. He thrived on confrontation—elbows, sneaky stamps, and constant trash talk. Despite only one red card in the Premier League, he was constantly embroiled in controversy. His battles with Arsenal defenders were legendary, especially with Laurent Koscielny and Gabriel Paulista.

In 2015, he received a retrospective ban for violent conduct against Arsenal, where he struck out with hands and elbows. Referees often missed his sneaky fouls, but opponents never forgot them. Diego Costa was a striker with a mean streak and no off switch.

5. Vinnie Jones

• Premier League career: 1992–1998

• Clubs: Chelsea, Wimbledon, Leeds United

• Trophies: FA Cup (1988, before PL era)

• Red cards: 6

• Yellow cards: 42 (in PL)

Though most of his reputation was forged before the Premier League began, Vinnie Jones carried his notorious “Crazy Gang” spirit into the modern era. Famous for grabbing Paul Gascoigne’s genitals during a match and for his bone-crunching tackles, Jones was more enforcer than footballer.

He holds the record for one of the fastest yellow cards in history—just 3 seconds into a game. Jones later became a Hollywood actor, often playing hard men, but on the pitch, he didn’t need to act. His football career was defined by intimidation, violence, and a complete disregard for the rule book.

4. Patrick Vieira

• Premier League career: 1996–2005

• Club: Arsenal

• Trophies: 3 Premier League titles, 4 FA Cups

• Red cards: 8

• Yellow cards: 76

A midfield general and the heartbeat of Arsenal’s “Invincibles”, Patrick Vieira was as brilliant as he was combustible. His duels with Manchester United, especially Roy Keane, became legendary battles of will and rage. The two men loathed each other, and their tunnel confrontation in 2005 is Premier League folklore.

Vieira’s disciplinary record speaks for itself. From stomping on opponents to being sent off for retaliations, he never backed down from a fight. Yet his physical dominance and leadership were vital to Arsenal’s golden era. In many ways, he was the ultimate footballing paradox: elegant on the ball, brutal without it.

3. Joey Barton

• Premier League career: 2002–2016

• Clubs: Manchester City, Newcastle United, QPR, Burnley

• Trophies: None

• Red cards: 6

• Yellow cards: 78

Joey Barton’s football talent was often overshadowed by his explosive personality. His list of misdemeanors reads more like a criminal record than a football CV. He once stubbed a cigar in a teammate’s eye, assaulted a fan in Thailand, and served jail time for assault and affray in 2008.

His lowest moment on the pitch came in 2012 while playing for QPR. After being sent off against Manchester City, Barton kicked Sergio Agüero, attempted to headbutt Vincent Kompany, and tried to elbow Carlos Tevez—all in the same incident. Barton always insisted he was misunderstood, but his actions painted a very different picture.

2. Duncan Ferguson

• Premier League career: 1994–2006

• Clubs: Everton, Newcastle United

• Trophies: None (FA Cup runner-up 2009 as a coach)

• Red cards: 8

• Yellow cards: 40

Standing at 6’4” with a terrifying stare, Duncan Ferguson didn’t just look like a thug—he acted like one too. "Big Dunc" is the joint record-holder for most red cards in Premier League history. His playing style was as brutal as it was effective, using elbows, shoulders, and pure aggression to dominate defenders.

Off the pitch, he was even more infamous. In 1994, he became the first professional footballer to be jailed for an on-field incident after headbutting Raith Rovers’ John McStay. That landed him a three-month prison sentence. Everton fans loved him for his fearlessness, but to opponents, Ferguson was a walking red card waiting to happen.

1. Roy Keane

• Premier League career: 1992–2006

• Clubs: Nottingham Forest, Manchester United

• Trophies: 7 Premier League titles, 4 FA Cups, 1 Champions League

• Red cards: 7

• Yellow cards: 69

Roy Keane was the embodiment of intensity. As Manchester United's captain during their most dominant era, he led by example—often violently so. His most notorious moment came in 2001 when he launched a horrific knee-high challenge on Alf-Inge Haaland, admitting later in his autobiography that it was premeditated revenge.

Keane wasn’t just aggressive with his tackles—his confrontations with referees, teammates, and even his own manager were legendary. He famously stormed out of United after criticizing teammates in a scathing MUTV interview. For Keane, winning was everything, and if a few bones had to be broken along the way, so be it.