Violence on the Field

[Tricky Tourist]

After Maddison got away with his sucker punch on Yatesy yesterday, it had me thinking about other egregious examples of violence committed on the pitch by players (and staff). I honestly can't remember many more cynical and deliberate ones than Maddison's, especially that went unpunished, so I thought I'd make a list of what might be considered physical assaults, and not simply reckless or dangerous tackles. What others am I missing?

Harald Schumacher - flying drop kick on Battiston, World Cup, 1982
Vinnie Jones - ball crushing of Gazza, 1988
Eric Cantona - kung fu kick on Palace supporter, 1995
Lee Bowyer and Kieron Dyer - Geordie teammates brawling, 2005
Zinedine Zidane - nutted Materazzi, World Cup, 2006
Keith Gillespie - punched Hunt, Sheff Utd vs Reading, 2007
Luis Suarez - Hannibal Lecter job on Chiellini, World Cup, 2014
Faruk Koca - Ankaragucu president, punched a ref, 2023

 

[Strummer]

Paulo de Canio pushing over a Ref when he was playing for Sheffield Wednesday?

 

[Flaggers]

The LTLF enforcement team - a copy of the PSR regulations shoved up Richard Masters' arse, sideways, no lube, 2024

 

[Tricky Tourist]

Paulo de Canio pushing over a Ref when he was playing for Sheffield Wednesday?

That's one, cheers! I'm genuinely surprised it doesn't happen more often

 

[MaxiRobriguez]

LTLF enforcement team

The worthy successor to the Forest Executive Crew

 

[Captain Sinister]

Paulo de Canio pushing over a Ref when he was playing for Sheffield Wednesday?

Which ref played for the Owls?

 

[Apollo11]

Roy Keane's tackle on Haaland Senior

 

[Flaggers]

Idiot Lee Bowyer fighting his own teammate Kieron Dire, 2005

 

[Captain Sinister]

Jim Baxter flattening ? to protect Peter Grummitt who had a broken arm.

 

[Tricky Tourist]

Idiot Lee Bowyer fighting his own teammate Kieron Dire, 2005

Got that one, although I think I misspelled Dier/Dyer

 

[Tricky Tourist]

Jim Baxter flattening ? to protect Peter Grummitt who had a broken arm.

This was before my time. Was it an actual attack?

 

[Rockabilly]

 

[Captain Sinister]

This was before my time. Was it an actual attack?

Ye: the player that Gentleman Jim lamped was going in to barge Peter Grummitt.
Jim had realised Grummitt had broken his arm, and merely took asppropriate action to prevent Grummitt being further injured.
i can't remember who it was he thumped though.

 

[Tricky Tourist]

View attachment 37871

The kindly gentleman on the left is now a compassionate animal lover, believe it or not! Who's the grabber on the far right?

 

[Tricky Tourist]

Ye: the player that Gentleman Jim lamped was going in to barge Peter Grummitt.
Jim had realised Grummitt had broken his arm, and merely took asppropriate action to prevent Grummitt being further injured.
i can't remember who it was he thumped though.

I wonder if there's video of this? Do you recall if Baxter was carded?

 

[Flaggers]

Got that one, although I think I misspelled Dier/Dyer

Apols - completely missed that one in your original post

 

[Captain Sinister]

I wonder if there's video of this? Do you recall if Baxter was carded?

Red card.

 

[Rockabilly]

The kindly gentleman on the left is now a compassionate animal lover, believe it or not! Who's the grabber on the far right?

Phil Neal.

 

[Flaggers]

"...and over now to Swindon Town's ground where there's been an assault occasioning actual bodily harm...but who to, Kammy??..."

Unbelievable, Jeff, but Chris Kamara, then of Swindon Town, smashed Shrewsbury Town's Jim Melrose with his elbow, breaking Melrose's cheekbone. He was fined £1,200 for causing grievous bodily harm and also ordered to pay £250 compensation, 1988, dealt with in the civil court

 

[Tricky Tourist]

Phil Neal.

Of course it is. Cheers Rocka!

 

[JonnoSnr]

"...and over now to Swindon Town's ground where there's been an assault occasioning actual bodily harm...but who to, Kammy??..."

Unbelievable, Jeff, but Chris Kamara, then of Swindon Town, smashed Shrewsbury Town's Jim Melrose with his elbow, breaking Melrose's cheekbone. He was fined £1,200 for causing grievous bodily harm and also ordered to pay £250 compensation, 1988, dealt with in the civil court

This should happen more often for me. There's a very distinct line between a bad tackle injuring a player and someone deliberately setting out to 'do someone'. It seems that anything goes as long as it's on a football pitch when in actual fact some incidents are pure assault.

 

[Tricky Tourist]

"...and over now to Swindon Town's ground where there's been an assault occasioning actual bodily harm...but who to, Kammy??..."

Unbelievable, Jeff, but Chris Kamara, then of Swindon Town, smashed Shrewsbury Town's Jim Melrose with his elbow, breaking Melrose's cheekbone. He was fined £1,200 for causing grievous bodily harm and also ordered to pay £250 compensation, 1988, dealt with in the civil court

I didn't know about this one. Good find Flaggers.

 

[Tricky Tourist]

This should happen more often for me. There's a very distinct line between a bad tackle injuring a player and someone deliberately setting out to 'do someone'. It seems that anything goes as long as it's on a football pitch when in actual fact some incidents are pure assault.

I agree. I know this will be an unpopular suggestion but I'd like to see Forest and Yatesy have Maddison charged with assault, if for no other reason than I'd like it to sabotage their Champions League push.

 

[Quntib Hollox]

The worst thing I’ve seen on a pitch is Graeme Souness’ “challenge “ on Eric Black (I think) of Aberdeen. Absolutely horrendous.

 

[Flaggers]

Do we count El Hadji Diouf spitting on a supporter or Frank Rijkaard spitting on Rudi Voller in the world cup which I guess makes it about 1990?