From pushing refs over, taking “slimming tablets”, refusing drug tests and betting on your own games. Here’s a look at the longest bans in Premier League history.
8. Paolo Di Canio – 3 months
Accused fascist Paolo Di Canio had a volcanic temper which was on show for all to see when he pushed referee Paul Alcock over following a red card for fighting with an Arsenal defender.
His team knew he was royally screwed so even before the game was over Di Canio was on his way to the airport to fly far away while everything blew over. Sheffield Wednesday suspended him immediately. A month later the FA gave him an 11-game ban.
7. Vinnie Jones – 6 months
The Wimbledon chairman called Vinnie Jones a “mosquito brain” when he was found guilty of bringing the game into disrepute. Jones was the presenter of an infamous video “Soccer’s Hard Men”. The video was accused of promoting foul play, Jones’ voiceover commentary describing the tricks he used to intimidate opponents.
That shouldn’t surprise anyone who knows how Jones plays the game. He was given a suspended three-year ban over the video and against all odds, the ban never triggered.
https://youtu.be/P6vm0x8JpBU
6. Kolo Toure – 6 months
Kolo Toure was facing up to a 2 year ban for testing positive to taking a banned substance. The drug test was conducted after a Manchester derby match. Making it worse, the City defender didn’t even play in the game as he sat on the bench. Toure blamed the reading on his wife’s weight loss pills and he was banned for 6 months.
5. Adrian Mutu – 7 months
In September 2004 Romanian and Chelsea striker Adrian Mutu was banned for seven months for testing positive to cocaine. Mutu maintained his innocence claiming that he took slimming tablets given to him by his mum. Classic.
Chelsea sacked Mutu for breach of contract and are still chasing him for for €17 million in damages for breach of contract. Six years later Mutu got done again for taking “slimming tablets” while at Fiorentina.
4. Rio Ferdinand – 8 months
After winning the Premier League in his first season with Man United, Rio Ferdinand refused to take a random drug test. As a result the FA banned him from football for 8 months and he missed out on playing at Euro 2004 for England. Rio still never tested positive though, true?
3. Eric Cantona – 8 months
How in the hell did Eric Cantona get the same length of ban as Rio Ferdinand did? Cantona kung-fu kicked a Crystal Palace fan because he was p!ssed off that he got sent off and was given an earful by the fan as he left he pitch. Cantona always referred to the Palace fan as “the hooligan”.
To be fair to Eric, the hooligan did shout racial insults and threw something at Cantona. Justified? Maybe.
United’s shares however took a £3m nosedive as a result of the kick and a judge sentenced Cantona to two weeks in jail. He was granted bail three hours after the hearing and his jail term eventually reduced to 150 hours of community service.
2. Mark Bosnich – 9 months
Hmmm. Another Chelsea player, another cocaine ban. Bosnich got stung in a random drug test in 2002, was banned for 9 months, and sacked by Chelsea. Bosnich revealed that he didn’t knowingly take cocaine before he was banned.
Once he was suspended however, he spiralled and battled with an almost £3000-a-week cocaine addiction. Bosnich eventually kicked the habit as a result of almost shooting his dad, mistaking him for a burglar during a four day bender.
1. Joey Barton – 18 months
Oh Joey Barton…considered one of the dirtiest football players in history with a rap sheet to match. He knocked a Man City teammate unconscious at training who ended up in hospital. And we all remember his last day antics against Manchester City during their 2011/12 title winning game.
More recently Barton’s been accused of kicking his wife in the head. Yes, the same Joey who’s served 77 days in jail for his involvement in a street brawl. While playing at Burnley in 2017 a 34-year old Barton was done for betting.
It’s now what we’d expect Barton to be on this list for, but only Barton can do something that ends up as the longest ban in English Premier League history.
An 18-month suspension for placing 1260 bets over a 10 year period, including games he played in, led to Barton’s retirement. Good riddance.
