Birmingham City’s Lee Bowyer: Dirty Player, Scumbag Or Just A Bit Misunderstood?

As Brum continue to excite their way to the Premier League basement, Saturday's most recent 4-5-1 stunner proved yet again that at Birmingham City, some form of change is needed. As football fans in the Midlands start to queue up and march down to their local chanting "Yes We Can", it's likely they're soon to be without Mr. Nasty himself Lee Bowyer for at least three matches if recent reports surfacing are to be believed - reports suggesting that the FA is set to charge Bowyer with violent conduct which will undoubtedly lead to suspension.

As Bowyer has charmed his way through English football over the course of the last 16 years, his rap sheet remains about as long as his career - Bowyer turned pro in 1994 and the sheet itself includes certain dirty little incidents including but not limited to: calling a West Brom-supporting Grandmother a phrase my editor won't allow me to use (hint: it rhymes with ducking hunt), fighting his own teammate Kieron Dyer on the pitch while at Newcastle United, drug charges and of course, affray.

So as a potential fist fight against Joey Barton may be the only remaining thing Lee Bowyer is good for, the Premier League's most booked player (of all time, gasp!) again proved what a nasty fella he is on Saturday as title chasing Arsenal came to town.

As you can now see, Bowyer had his way with Arsenal's Bacary Sagna, his upper thigh and later in the match, Bowyer's boot studs met Sagna's Achilles while every bit of it was caught by TV cameras. As Brum manager Alex McLeish cries fouls over big club preferential treatment and the like, the simple fact remains that Bowyer played dirty over the course of the full 90 and now justice looks to be served.

The FA are set for another "trial by television" verdict on Tuesday wherein Brum have advised Bowyer to accept any ban and serve any suspension immediately in hopes he can be back for Birmingham City's home derby against rivals Aston Villa on 16 January.