The Angriest Man In Football

As a distraction from all things international football based, I was giggling gently – almost maniacally, apparently, to myself last week as Declan Rice got a second yellow card for Arsenal that earned him one of the softest red cards I have seen.

It set me off on a train of thought back through my  memories, over West Ham’s notorious ‘red card’ hatchet men so I thought for those of you who have not been supporters for decades that I’d highlight one or two in the coming days that perhaps don’t get the ‘Julian Dicks-style’ profile they deserve.

So, before normal service is resumed with Premier League business back up and running for the end of the week, indulge me for a few paragraphs whilst I describe to you the simmering ball of anger and frustration that was right-back Tomáš Řepka.

Czech-born Řepka became a Hammer in 2001 for a then record fee of £5 million. And, glory be, he was sent off on his West Ham debut to cement his notoriety at Upton Park when he received two yellow cards. He then missed a match under suspension and was the sent off again in his third game for the Hammers for a straight red card foul.

That first season as an Iron, Řepka received ten yellow cards for some dreadful tackles and to be honest was lucky to stay on the pitch some weeks.  He would not have survived in the VAR era and I remember wincing for opponents as Tomáš clattered them with equal disdain for the rules or referees opinions in the championship after our relegation.

So much seemed based upon his mood- some weeks he seemed the model right back- but then for some banal reason he’d get as angry as a caged bull, pawing at the ground waiting for a chance to flatten a winger who was naïve enough to try and skip past him with or without the ball.

After a total of four red cards, Řepka left West Ham in the summer of 2006, his playing career ending in 2020 by which time he’d amassed twenty red cards: In one notorious incident after he left London, Řepka attacked game officials and a TV cameraman in September 2007.

He was jailed after his playing career ended which didn’t surprise me – the crime of selling a luxury car which wasn’t his did seem mild but epitomised the man. 

Despite the liability of having him play some 167 times in Claret and Blue, we loved him. Lucky to have witnessed Řepka in full flow, bearing down on a diminutive, fragile, unsuspecting opponent….The game just isn’t the same anymore.