Kicking a ball boy, farting, tackling Borat - top five ridiculous red cards

Bosnia
Bosnia's Edin Dzeko was dismissed in farcical circumstances

After Edin Dzeko saw red for pulling an opponent’s shorts down, we look at a few other ridiculous red cards over the years….

Player: Eden Hazard (Chelsea)

Reason: Kicking a ball boy

Swansea ball boy Charlie Morgan reacts after an altercation with Chelsea
Swansea ball boy Charlie Morgan reacts after an altercation with Chelsea's Eden Hazard

Before Hazard became a Premier League hotshot, he was well-known for his red card against Swansea, where he controversially kicked Swansea ball boy Charlie Morgan.

The 17-year-old, who labelled himself the "king of all ball boys" on Twitter before the match, appeared to be kicked in the ribs by Hazard, who was trying to reclaim the ball quickly with Chelsea behind in the Capital One Cup semi-final.

Hazard was shown a straight red card by referee Chris Foy and apologised to the son of Swansea director Martin Morgan after the match in the Chelsea dressing room.

Hazard was dismissed by referee Chris Foy for the incident
Hazard was dismissed by referee Chris Foy for the incident

Player: Ashley Vickers (Dorchester)

Reason: Tackling a Borat-inspired pitch invader

With half-time approaching in Dorchester's game away to Havant & Waterlooville, the game was disrupted by a pitch invader dressed in a Borat-inspired mankini.

Ashley Vickers (L) in action against Kevin Lisbie
Ashley Vickers (L) in action against Kevin Lisbie

He evaded the clutches of the stewards for 30 seconds but no-nonsense centre-back Vickers thought he was doing the authorities a favour by tackling invader Alan Young with a ferocious body-slam.

However, the referee was quick on the scene to brandish a red card to the Dorchester player-manager. "It beggars belief," Vickers said at the time.

"Their players told the ref not to send me off and their chairman even offered to take a player off to even things up."

The FA ended up withdrawing the ban as the circumstances were exceptional but said the referee was right to dismiss the defender for violent conduct under the laws of the game.

Players: Lee Bowyer and Kieron Dyer (Newcastle)

Reason: Fighting each other 

Lee Bowyer (L) and Kieron Dyer (R) of Newcastle come to blows
Lee Bowyer (L) and Kieron Dyer (R) of Newcastle come to blows

When a player or players are dismissed for violent conduct one would assume it's for an incident with an opponent - not one of your team-mates.

Step forward Kieron Dyer and Lee Bowyer - supposed team-mates at Newcastle United. 

The pair came to blows during a 3-0 home defeat against Aston Villa in 2005. The fight was sparked as Bowyer became frustrated with Dyer not passing to him.

Dyer and Bowyer apologised for their behaviour with manager Graeme Souness (C)
Dyer and Bowyer apologised for their behaviour with manager Graeme Souness (C)

After both were given their marching orders, the spat continued in the dressing room. Reportedly both players backed down when manager Graeme Souness offered to fight them both.

Player: Andre Bikey (Cameroon)

Reason: Shoving over a medic

Always regarded as a player that wore his heart on his sleeve, Andre Bikey wasn't immune to a red card or two in his days with Reading and Burnley. His passionate displays won over the fans but also got him into a spot of bother.

A classic example of Bikey's unpredictability was on show in Cameroon's Africa Cup of Nations clash in 2008.

With Cameroon leading 1-0, Bikey's team-mate Rigobert Song went down injured and needed treatment from the medical team, who were all Ghanaian. They were keen to get Song off the pitch as quick as possible and Bikey took exception to their hasty nature. The centre-half charged over and barged one of the medics to the floor. The referee had no choice but to send him off. 

Bikey was fined £5,000 and missed the final.

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Player: Adam Lindin Ljungkvist (Jarna SK)

Reason: Farting

Ljungkvist was appearing for Jarna SK reserves against Pershagen SK, but received his marching orders in bizarre circumstances in the second half after the referee accused him of "unsportsmanlike behaviour".

Explaining the situation in the aftermath of the gassy ordeal, left-back Ljungkvist told local newspaper Lanstidningen Sodertalje: "I had a bad stomach, so I simply let go."

Dany Kako was the referee in question, and he also spoke to local media post-match, explaining: "I perceived it as deliberate provocation. He did it on purpose and it was inappropriate."

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