In one memorable encounter, Emmanuel Adebayor wowed us with his skills, disgusted us (and our Gooner Girl) with his antics and shocked us with his brutality. Claim what he may, anyone who has played football and seen replays of his encounter with Van Persie (which left Robin VP with a bleeding head and a very relieved eye) will know that the maudlin striker had the option of at least checking his boot to minimize the impact of his blow if not completely avoid it. Van Persie claims and I agree, that it was a "mindless and malicious stamp". Actually I think it was not a stamp but a kick but this post is not really meant to nitpick. This post is meant to recall acts that should preferably not be seen on a football field or being performed by footballers, who apart from the game and its associated fame, are also burdened with the responsibility of being role models.

There are leg-breaking tackles and there are tackles to break a leg. There are shoves and pushes and there are kicks and punches. Some are meant to hurt and the others are meant to punish. Here I list five acts of violence by footballers on and off the football field. The intention to cause grievous injury has been my sole criterion in preparing this list and I am sure that readers will recall moments which have been far worse in intent as well as impact. Please list your selections in the comments section.

Number Five: Schumacher's flying assault on Patrick Battiston (1982)

The occasion could hardly get bigger than the World Cup semi-final in 1982 and when the legendary Platini set Battiston free with a sublime pass, the defender on as a substitute found himself one on one with the ace German keeper. It was a ball to be contested all right, but the Frenchman clearly won the contest though he tipped the ball just wide. After a decisive moment when Schumacher could have turned to look at the ball sail by his post, he instead chose to jump butt high in a contorted manner right into Battiston's face and left his opponent near dead.

Battiston had some teeth knocked out, suffered damaged vertebrae, slipped into a coma and had to be administered oxygen on the pitch. All Schumacher got was a goal kick. The German never did accept it was a foul and indeed it was much worse than any you would have seen. Thankfully there was no permanent damage to the Frenchman and both of them continued to play for many years at the highest level.

Number Four: Cantona's kung-fu connects with Matt Simmons (1995)

Simmons was a Crystal palace fan as well as a person with a criminal history. Cantona was at the height of his powers but in yet another moment of madness had just picked up a fifth red card of his United career. Even as he walked out (or was being ushered out by United staff), he must have heard something which tipped him over and sports cameramen were treated to a perfect shot of the forward connecting a head instead of a ball (much like the way football is supposed to have originated by some).

Both men faced judge and jury and Simmons had to serve one day out of a seven day sentence. He also paid a £ 500 fine and was banned from football grounds for a year. Cantona performed 120 hours of community service, was fined by his club and the FA and then served a nine month ban. The biggest beneficiaries perhaps were Blackburn who beat a Cantona-less Manchester United to their only Premiership crown.

Number Three: Pepe beats up Javi Casquero (2009)

Perhaps Casquero went down too easily (though indeed there was contact) and maybe Pepe had felt genuinely aggrieved, but nothing could justify the kicking that the Getafe player received from the Madrid defender. He also punched Getafe's Uruguayan striker Juan Albin and swore at the fourth official before finally leaving the pitch. Fortunately no one was really hurt, Casquero messed up the resulting penalty and Higuain scored a late winner to help Madrid win 3-2 on the night. Pepe was back on the field to celebrate the win.

The veteran Casquero still plays with Getafe and Pepe is seeing out the last few games of his ten match ban.

Number Two: Roy Keane's retribution against Alf-Inge Håland (2001) 

It was 1997 and Roy Keane had just taken over as the United captain and the opponents that evening were Leeds United. Keane looking to tackle the Norwegian Håland and injured himself. Håland stood over Keane and accused him of feigning injury, which was rather unfair as Keane would not return to action that season.

The Irish brooder waited four long seasons for his chance to teach Håland, then of Manchester City, a lesson that he was never going to shake off. The images are imprinted in people's mind as Keane with no intention of subtlety went straight for his opponent's knee and struck with force and precision and hurt his target grievously.

A red card and a three match ban followed but more (A £ 150,000 fine and a five match ban) was to come after Keane admitted in his autobiography that it was a pre-meditated attack. Till date he has expressed no regret. Håland's career was over a year after the attack, though he conceded that injuried other than the one caused by Roy Keane were responsible.

Number One: Joey, Joey, Joey Barton

There are footballers who are hated and then there is Joey Barton. In his case, perhaps reams of print would be needed to recount all the people he has hurt and by that I do not mean emotionally.

Amazingly his first red card at the highest level was for arguing with the referee and not for crippling an opponent, but Joey set out to correct that aberration with gusto.  In 2004, he hacked a Doncaster Rovers player in a friendly and started a brawl and in the next off-season climbed up the hate charts in Asia by assaulting a Thai teenager when touring that country with Manchester City.  Teammates have hardly been a taboo for him as he first stubbed out a lit cigar in a youth player's eye and then a few years later did serious damage to the eye of his City teammate Ousmane Dabo. That one sent him to prison and earned him significant bans.

Also sending him to prison was a December 2007 incident outside McDonald's, when Barton and some of his friends and family assaulted an unidentified man. Twenty punches thrown by Barton were caught on CCTV cameras and when Barton walked free after serving less than half of his six month sentence.

Spells in gaol seem not to have dampened his natural instincts too much as seen by a lunge on Etuhu and a red card while playing under the stewardship of Alan Shearer. Chances were that there could have been a dressing room brawl but if one did break out, nobody' spoken about it.

These days he spends his time with Newcastle United (a fate worse than prison?), though last heard even they do not want him.

Post-Script:

Adebayor also will be unlovingly remembered for taunting the Arsenal fans in the win against his last club. Click here for five more footballers' winding up the crowd incidents.