England See Red
Men dismissed on international duty
In recent years it has become expected for international teams to get a player sent off every now and again, but before the 1990s it was a pretty rare event and you could go a few years without seeing red cards in internationals. When it did happen there was a real stigma and shame that followed the player around in his career.
But in recent years it has seemingly become more acceptable and it happens with a lot more regularity.
Perhaps now referees are more liable to show their cards during internationals than they once were. Added to the fact there are now more internationals played then maybe it isn’t surprising that the number of red cards has shot up.
Players being sent off wasn’t a feature of the game in the early decades and England went 96 years from their first game in 1872 until their 424th in 1968 when their first player was sent off.
They have now had a total of 15 players sent off on full international duty. Only one of them didn’t play for their country again and most had good international careers.
Tottenham’s 26-year-old midfielder Alan Mullery was the first England player to be sent off, on 5th of June 1968 in a 1-0 defeat to Yugoslavia in the semi-final of the European Championships played in Italy. But he went on to be an important player in the 1970 World cup.
Midfielder Alan Ball was sent off five years and a day later on 6th June 1973 in a 2-0 defeat away to Poland in a crucial World Cup qualifier. He was the only member of England’s World Cup-winning team to be ordered off. He was 28 and playing for Arsenal at the time.
Leeds United’s 29-year-old defender Trevor Cherry was sent off against Argentina in a 1-1 away draw on 12th June 1977. This was part of a South American tour to help prepare for the next year’s World Cup in Argentina in the hope that England qualified which they weren’t to do. This was the first friendly to see an England player sent off.
Midfielder Ray Wilkins became the first to be ordered off in a World Cup finals match – a 0-0 draw with Morocco on 6th June 1986.This was just over 10 years after his international debut. He was 29 and at Milan at the time, so the first at a non-English club to go. He was only to play twice more for England at the end of that year. He was the first captain to be sent off as he had just taken over from regular captain Bryan Robson who had left the field injured.
There then followed a period of 12 years with no more red cards, making it four from 30 years but recent figures have been far different with 11 sent off in the last 16 years. (In fact the first four sending-offs took place in 749 games and the 11 since have happened in 181 games).
Midfielder David Beckham was sent off on 30th June 1998 in the World Cup second round match v Argentina in France. He was 23 and at Manchester United at the time. The game finished 2-2 with England going out on penalties and Beckham received a lot of abuse from fans when he played for Man Utd the next season
before he won them over again with some strong displays for England.
Midfielder Paul Ince became the first England player to be sent off outside the month of June when ordered off in a 2-1 defeat away to Sweden on 5th September 1998 in a European Championship qualifier. He was 30 and with Liverpool.
In the return European Championship qualifier with the Swedes, midfielder Paul Scholes was sent off on the 5th June 1999, a 0-0 draw at Wembley. He was 24 and with Manchester United.
Midfielder David Batty was sent off on the 8th September 1999 away to Poland in a 0-0 draw in a Euro qualifier. He was 30 and in his second spell at Leeds United. This was to be his last game for his country.
Forward Alan Smith was sent off in a 2-2 home draw with Macedonia on 16th October 2002 in a Euro qualifier played at Southampton. He was 21 and with Leeds United. This was only his sixth appearance.
David Beckham became the first England player to be sent off twice after his red card v Austria in a 1-0 win on 8th October 2005 in a World Cup qualifier played at Old Trafford. He was 30 and playing with Real Madrid and was now captain of the team and in fact was technically the first England captain to be ordered off (not counting the few seconds from Wilkins).
Forward Wayne Rooney was sent off in the World Cup quarter-final against Portugal on 1st July 2006 in Gelsenkirchen, Germany. The game finished 0-0 and Portugal went through on penalties. He was 20 and with Manchester United.
Rob Green was the first England goalkeeper to be sent off on 10th October 2009 in a 1-0 defeat away to Ukraine in a World cup qualifier. He was 29 and playing for West Ham.
Rooney got the second red card of his England career in a 2-2 draw away with Montenegro on 7th October 2011 in a European qualifier which meant he missed the first two games of the finals the next summer. He was 25 and with Manchester United.
Midfielder Steven Gerrard was sent off in a 1-1 home draw with Ukraine on 11th September 2012 in a World cup qualifier. He was with Liverpool and was 32 and was captain at the time – also the oldest player to be sent off playing for England. This was his 98th game, the most for any of the players dis- missed. The latest England player to be red carded is winger Raheem Sterling in a 2-2 draw with Ecuador on 4th June 2014 in a pre-World Cup friendly played in Miami. He was with Liverpool and aged 19. He is the youngest player to be sent off for England and the only substitute so far. This was only his fourth game.
So that is the list of the England players to be sent off. With the rate they come along it won’t be surprising if more names join them before long. Beckham and Rooney are the only players to be sent off more than once while Manchester United (4),Liverpool (3)and Leeds United (3) lead the league table for clubs. Also midfielders are the most likely to fall victim with nine reds. But, perhaps surprisingly, there is only one defender on the list – Trevor Cherry, and even then he was sent off in a friendly rather than the heat of a competitive fixture. But the list shows it can happen to anyone regardless of position, age, experience or, indeed, lack of it.