The season just passed saw 46 red cards shown – an increase of 10 year-on-year, or should that be season-on-season.
Were players dirtier or were the officials more strict?
According to Whoscored.com the average foul count actually came down slightly last term despite the higher number of red card offences, though 831 yellow cards were shown too – up considerably from the 615 shown in 2020-21.
With video assistance coming into play when VAR is introduced at the turn of the year, how will these stats change next term?
That remains to be seen but we counted the cards via the referee statistics from WhoScored.com for the Premiership season just passed and found the league’s strictest ref with almost 29 fouls per game, the official who shows an average of five yellow cards a game and the three-way share for most red cards shown.
. 07-09-2019. Picture Michael Gillen. KIRKCALDY. Stark's Park. Raith Rovers FC v Falkirk FC. Tunnock's Caramel Wafer Challenge Cup 3rd Round. Scottish Challenge Cup 3rd Round. Regan Hendry 8 and Charlie Telfer 21 clash, resulting in referee Greg Aitken booking them both. Football referee stock.
SPFL referees will be aided by VAR in the top-flight next year. Photo: Michael Gillen
. Nick Walsh
Premiership Games: 20 | Yellow cards: 77 (3.85 pg)| Red cards: 5 (0.25 pg) Photo: Michael Gillen
. Don Robertson
Premiership Games: 18 | Yellow cards: 70 (3.89 pg)| Red cards: 5 (0.28 pg) Photo: Michael Gillen
. Willie Collum
Premiership Games: 17 | Yellow cards: 62 (3.65 pg)| Red cards: 5 (0.29 pg) Photo: Craig Foy - SNS Group
. Gavin Duncan
Premiership Games: 9 | Yellow cards: 32 (3.56 pg)| Red cards: 4 (0.44 pg) Photo: Michael Gillen
. Greg Aitken
Premiership Games: 9 | Yellow cards: 43 (4.78 pg)| Red cards: 4 (0.44 pg) Photo: Michael Gillen
9. Euan Anderson
Premiership Games: 10 | Yellow cards: 32 (3.2 pg)| Red cards: 3 (0.3 pg) Photo: Michael Gillen
10. Craig Napier
Premiership Games: 9 | Yellow cards: 34 (3.78 pg)| Red cards: 3 (0.33 pg) Photo: Michael Gillen
11. John Beaton
Premiership Games: 18 | Yellow cards: 72 (4 pg)| Red cards: 2 (0.11 pg) Photo: Michael Gillen
12. Colin Steven
Premiership Games: 9 | Yellow cards: 38 (4.22 pg)| Red cards: 2 (0.22 pg) Photo: Rob Casey - SNS Group