3. Eric Cantona - Eight Months
Steve Morton/EMPICS SportWhere Joey Barton, Rio Ferdinand and even Paolo Di Canio stood after, Eric Cantona was the original Premier League bad boy. His swagger and his attitude was infamous throughout his career, but in 1995, he completely lost the plot during a match for Manchester United. United were facing Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park, and after an altercation between Cantona and Palace defender Richard Shaw (he kicked Shaw after the defender pulled his shirt), the Frenchman was sent off, to a shower of abuse from the home fans. With his blood clearly up, Cantona decided he wasn't done, and committed perhaps the most infamous crime in Manchester United's history. For once, it wasn't a football (or even an opponent) that felt the wrath of Cantona's foot - it was a fan who had run to the front of the crowd to confront Cantona after his red card - who the Frenchman "kung-fu" kicked in retaliation for his abuse. He was actually arrested for assault - and even given a prison sentence that was later overturned - and the Football Association came down equally hard on the Frenchman. United initially banned him for four months, but the FA upped that to eight to ensure the severity of the incident was well noted, and FIFA made it a worldwide ban to ensure he couldn't escape the ban by transferring to a foreign club, and he was even informed he wouldn't be selected for France ever again. As we all know, Cantona would come back from that ban and produce some scintillating football for United, but that blot on his career will surely be his most infamous incident.