Five of the most outrageous acts committed by a captain on the football field

#2 Roy Keane

One of the most legendary captains in Premier League history, Manchester United’s midfield dynamo Roy Keane also had a seriously dark side. Sent off seven times in his United career, Keane was renowned for being a no-nonsense player with a foul temper and an equally short fuse. His most infamous incident as captain almost certainly came in April 2001 in a game against crosstown rivals Manchester City.

Keane was sent off in that game for one of the most brutal tackles in Premier League history, a knee-high lunge on Alf-Inge Haaland that essentially ended Haaland’s career. But the tackle wasn’t the key thing – the two players had a history, as three years in the past, Haaland had stood over Keane and accused him of feigning injury when in reality, he’d blown out his ACL. The idea of revenge had festered in Keane’s mind ever since and in the game against City, he’d seized his chance.

The worst part? Keane even confirmed it in his 2002 autobiography, admitting the challenge was pre-meditated and he’d gone in to hurt Haaland, even sneering at him while the player lay on the ground following the tackle.

Due to the confession, Keane was charged by the FA with bringing the game into disrepute, and was subsequently hit with a five-game ban. Even then, he was unrepentant, claiming he’d probably do it again if he was given the chance. It was a moment of outrageous violence that marred the career of a truly great captain.