Paul Scholes - third most booked player in the Premier League. Who are the worst two?

On Sunday, Paul Scholes was shown the yellow card in the Premier League for the final time. It was for a raking challenge on Billy Jones.

This was his 97th booking in 499 top flight games, many of them earned for late, clattering tackles.

While that is quite a total of cautions, two players have racked up more yellow cards than Scholes in the Premier League era.

For old times' sake: This was the tackle that landed the Ginger Ninja in the book on Sunday

Inevitable: Paul Scholes picked up another booking on his final outing for Manchester United

They are Bolton striker Kevin Davies - who was issued with 99 yellow cards in 442 matches and, on the same tally, Leeds and Newcastle midfielder Lee Boywer - in 397 games.

Davies's bookings were not generally for bad tackles, but mainly for persistent fouling.

But Bowyer was far more of a traditional 'clogger' and got involved in several scrapes with other players because of high and unwieldy challenges.   

No 1: Lee Bowyer and Kevin Davies (below) both have 99 Premier League bookings

Kevin Davies (bottom)

Premier League top 10 most booked and sent off (right). Scholes was sent off four times in the league.

  Was Scholes bad at tackling, or just plain dirty?

A lot has been said about Paul Scholes as he begins his second retirement. He has numerous wonderful traits, from his passing to his movement. He's a consummate professional. The list goes on.

Players including Zinedine Zidane, Andres Iniesta and Patrick Vieira have lined up to express their admiration for the midfielder.

But as well as being glad about not having to face his penetrative through balls, they will also be delighted to have seen the last of his studs.

Crunch: Paul Scholes caused controversy in 1999 with this shocking tackle on Sweden's Hakan Mild

That'll hurt in the morning: Mild inspects the hole left in his leg by Scholes

VIDEO: Watch Scholes's shocking tackle on Mild

 

Scholes's tackling was oft-remarked upon during his career; it was notable for being exceptionally poor.

The wild effort above, on Sweden's Hakan Mild in 1999, was widely criticised and Scholes even ended up calling the victim to apologise.

While some laughed off his challenges as a bit of 'harmless' fun ('Oh Scholesy, he never could tackle!') others said he was lucky not to have been shown more red cards or caused injuries to opponents because of their reckless nature.

Scholes intimated his challenges were more malicious than clumsy, but that he committed bad tackles for both reasons.

‘Of course I can tackle,’ he told Radio 5 Live in 2011. ‘There’s plenty of evidence of me being able to tackle.

‘I was just getting people back. If someone got me early in the game, it was always in the back of my mind that I needed to get them back.

'I didn’t always do it on purpose. Some of it was just bad timing. I think throughout my career the record wasn’t that bad.

‘There were a few yellow cards but not many sendings off. I think towards the end every time I made one tackle I got booked, because of my reputation I suppose.’

Hailed: United fans gave Scholes a rapturous reception on his final day

So what can you make of Scholes' tackling? Sportsmail columnist Jamie Redknapp thinks he sometimes went out to hurt opponents, saying in 2011: As an opponent, he left a few bruises and stud marks by, as he would put it, "leaving something on" me. I would look at him after and wonder if he meant it - but I knew he did.

'People questioned his tackling, doubted his timing, but he was a terrific tackler who meant to leave his foot in. He wanted you to know he was there, although it brought him almost as many red cards as trophies.'

Arsene Wenger said in 2010 that the perspective on Scholes's tackling 'Depends what you call clever and what you call dirty.'

But what he was certain of was that Scholes's approach to the defensive side of the game was illegal.

'Unfairly, of course, unfairly,' Wenger added. 'How many times have you watched Paul Scholes?

'Have you seen only fair tackles from Paul Scholes? I don't want to come out on one specifically but I can remember a few.

'[They are] a bit in the past, yes, but look at him playing now. He still doesn't hide.'

Lunge: Scholes's tackle on Zabaleta was ludicriously high

VIDEO: SCHOLES'S LUNGE ON ZABALETA

Wenger continued: 'No, I don't (think his approach is fair). You ask me about the quality of the player – who wouldn't like a Paul Scholes in his team? You ask me: "Was he a fair player?" I say: "No, I'm sorry, for me he was not a fair player."

'I just think I respect him highly as a quality player. I did not like some things he did on the football pitch and I have the right to say that. It's not because you are older, suddenly, that you are a saint.'

So Scholes retires, with numerous accolades (11 titles, three FA Cups, two Champions Leagues, two League Cups...) and praise deservedly ringing in his ears.

But don't forget - whether in spite or by accident - the Ginger Ninja could hurt opponents with and without the ball.

Scholes hacks down Jose Antonio Reyes

Scholes is sent off after fouling Francesco Totti

Clattering: Scholes flies in on West Ham's Matt Taylor in the FA Cup this year

Going down: Scholes fouls Aleksandr Hleb, then of Stuttgart, in 2003

Flying Swan: Scholes slides in on Swansea City's Wayne Routledge