Most of the men on this list did their damage between the white lines. Joey Barton did plenty there as well, but his worst moments came elsewhere. At a Manchester City Christmas party he stubbed a lit cigar into the eye of teammate Jamie Tandy. In a training session he punched Ousmane Dabo unconscious, and Dabo ended up in hospital. Later he served 77 days in prison after attacking a man in Liverpool city centre.
The English central midfielder played from 2002 to 2017 for Manchester City, Newcastle United, QPR, Marseille, Burnley and Rangers. Trouble travelled with him to most of those clubs.
What happened when QPR played Manchester City?
Barton was sent off, and he did not go quietly. On his way out he kicked Agüero, kneed Tévez and elbowed Kompany, three opponents in one burst. The ban for violent conduct that followed ran to 12 matches.
That is the pitch. Off it, the list is longer and nastier: a cigar in a teammate's eye, a colleague punched unconscious, time in prison. Several villains in this countdown were a menace on matchday and harmless by Monday. Barton was a danger to the people around him wherever he was, teammates included, which makes him the most dangerous man English football has seen in a long while.
Barton's record on camera
Next up tomorrow: number five.
